There is no better voice to represent the needs of accessibility than directly from those it effects. Over the years, influencers and content creators have taken the world by storm, amassing followers while developing a real sense of community – and disabled influencers are a huge part of it. Blending the typical threads of online influencing with the valuable insight of lived experience, some incredible figures have emerged. Armed with vibrant personalities and a passion for advocacy, here are 10 of these disabled icons that we think everyone should be following…
Tess Daly is a fashion and beauty influencer with Spinal Muscular, Atrophy, type 2.
Mainly on Instagram, she shares her love of fashion and creative makeup looks with her 196k followers. Over the years, she’s collaborated with numerous brands you’ll recognise, from Boohoo.com, to Isle of Paradise.
She’s blazing a trail to make the world of fashion inclusive, and we salute everything that Tess stands for.
Self-described as a ‘regular guy who happens to have a disability’ – Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) – Martyn is a man of many hats: writer and content creator, social entrepreneur, and business advisor. He dedicates his influence to helping create a world inclusive for all disabled people.
Having appeared on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 5, Martyn’s writing has also been published by The Independent, Huffington Post, BBC Ouch, Disability Now, and The Guardian. He sits on the board here at Open Road Access, as well as consulting for Visit England and Lonely Planet, offering valuable insights as a disabled traveler and advising how to remove the barriers that prevent many disabled people from seeing the world.
Lucy is an award-winning presenter, writer, and content creator.
For over 5 years, she has run her ever-popular YouTube channel where she shares her experiences living with blindness. In 2015, one of her video tutorials – ‘blind girl does her own makeup’ – soared to tens of thousands of views worldwide.
Today, she’s the author of the world’s first blind beauty guide and has worked for the BBC on numerous features. Much of her journalism has highlighted the barriers facing blind people when it comes to transport, including navigating train stations or going off-road safari. We believe there is so much to be learned from this powerful advocate.
Eliza is a London based graphic designer and content creator.
Describing themselves as a ‘rainbow rolling around London’, their style is instantly recognisable – and not just in the physical sense.
They are known as a strong voice within the Disabled and LGBTQIA+ space, producing popular videos advising how to best support those within both communities.
“Just another Mad Cripfluencer™️ with Audhd and no bladder”. That’s how Jessica Cummins, aka The Chronic Iconic, describes herself on her Instagram.
She’s built a strong following, posting about disability empowerment, fashion and makeup.
Her global fanbase admires her fierce attitude towards body positivity – something which has seen her work with big-name lingerie brands – as well as her honest reviews of the UK healthcare service.
Nina Tame – the “Wheel Housewife of Essex” – is a counsellor and disability influencer.
She’s also a parent with spina bifida who writes and creates content on ableism, representation, parenting children with disability, and much more.
Her hilarious videos – “bit gobby, sometimes sweary, always colourful” – have earned her tens of thousands of fans, making her one of the key voices challenging disabled stereotypes right now.
Daniel Jones is an author, video content creator and autistic influencer.
He posts daily videos designed to help autistic people, offering tips and hacks for autism life.
His videos offer a light-hearted look at the everyday challenges facing autistic people, from dating to doing well in school and holding down a job.
Dan’s fans love his honesty, self-awareness, and been-there -done-that attitude to life as an autistic adult.
Emily Davison is a writer, blogger, journalist, and disability advocate who focuses on fashion, beauty, and travel.
Emily was born with a rare congenital condition, Septo Optic Dysplasia, which affects both her endocrine system and vision. She has no sight in one eye and limited vision in the other.
Emily lives in London with her guide dog, Rosie, where she runs her Fashioneyesta site to challenge people’s perceptions of sight loss and style.
Shelby Lynch is a social media influencer and model living with spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2.
Her condition means that she uses an electric wheelchair while being ventilated 24/7.
She has over 50K followers on Instagram and an even bigger following on Tik Tok.
With her colourful and quirky sense of style, she’s on a one-woman mission to make fashion more accessible for disabled people.
Sian Green-Lord is a mother, model and body confidence advocate.
In 2013, while on holiday in New York, she was hit by a taxi and had to have her left leg amputated.
In 2022, she hit the headlines when an image from her Instagram account was used without her permission—with her prosthetic leg airbrushed out.
Today, Sian is the founder of The Sian Green Foundation, which provides funding for prosthetics to help amputees in the UK reclaim their independence.
While you’re at it, come and follow us on social too!
Join Open Road Access and the Rights on Flights campaign for a crucial discussion which will shape the future of air travel. We need to hear from members of the community to create a plan for change and make accessibility not just a promise, but a necessity.