First Wheelchair‑Bound Guest at the Met Gala

A new milestone was reached when a trans model who uses a wheelchair attended the Met Gala, an event that has been held for 78 years. The model is from Antigua and the United States, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and broke several records in 2018 by becoming the first black, transgender, and physically disabled model signed by a major agency. She has walked on runways for top designers, including Moschino’s spring/summer 2022 collection. In that show she was the first person in a wheelchair to model for a luxury brand, proving that fashion can welcome diverse bodies.For her debut at the Met Gala she wore a piece from Louise Linderoth, a designer who also uses a wheelchair. The event felt like an achievement for people with disabilities because historically they have rarely been seen at such high‑profile occasions. During an interview she said that disabled people are often labeled as activists simply because society expects them to speak for themselves. She added that the fashion world can offer roles beyond activism, such as modeling and photography, which helps shift how society views disability. She warned that a growing “fascist shift” in global attitudes is bringing back ableism and harmful rhetoric. Yet she remains hopeful that showing disabled talent on the runway will help counter those negative trends.