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| Meet Dr. Danielle Sheypuk - clinical psychologist, model and advocate for those with disabilities. |
This is Dr. Danielle Sheypuk, isn't she pretty? She's a Brooklyn, NY based clinical psychologist whose main focus is the problems of dating, relationships and sexuality among the disabled. She also appeared in women's-wear designer Carrie Hammer's runway show...beauty and brains. Pretty cool huh? Did we mention she has spinal muscular atrophy and has been in a wheelchair since age two? Yeah, we were even more impressed too.
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| Dr. Sheypuk walking in Carrie Hammer's Runway Show during New York Fashion Week 2014 |
Having recently taken the title of Ms Wheelchair NY in 2012, Dr. Sheypuk has been getting quite a bit of media attention lately and has taken the chance to use this position to really advocate for this with disabilities. Being invited by Carrie Hammer to "walk" in her first runway show has made history at NYFW where the normal is gorgeous girls who specialize in being extraordinarily tall and thin. The designer made a point to case models who were also role models, showing that beauty, intelligence and influence can coexist.
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| Showing that models aren't all just willowy beauties, Dr. Sheypuk wants to remind the fashion world that just because you're disabled in some way doesn't mean that you aren't interested in the way you present yourself. |
There has been a lot of talk recently about how women who aren't sizes 0 or 2 feel like the fashion world puts forth an image that isn't really attainable but this is one of the first times that it's really being brought up that people with physical disabilities feel that way too. "I remember reading fashion magazines throughout my teenage years, and even now I still do it on a daily basis, and I never see anyone in a wheelchair. As a reader it makes you feel excluded. It makes you feel like, 'OK, I'm not really a part of it.' When we're consumers like everyone else else."
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| Backstage with the rest of the models before the show, we're in awe of Dr. Sheypuk's beauty and her determination to include everyone in the world of fashion regardless of what they look like. |
Dr. Sheypuk is making it her mission to change the way people think about those with disabilities. "I want yo change the image of people with disabilities. They're really prevalent and they're really negative. And they include things like if you have a physical disability you're not sexy, you're not glamorous, you're not stylish, and that's simply not true." We think it's fabulous that women of all shapes and sizes are speaking up and saying, yes, we love fashion just as much as the next girl and we want to be a part of it too. Everyone should be able to take part in feeling beautiful, no matter their size, shape or physical body.
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| Showing the models come in all shapes and sizes, designer Carrie Hammer cast influential women to walk in her runway show, including Dr. Danielle Sheypuk. |
Photos courtesy of Mail Online, visit Dr. Danielle Sheypuk's website for more information on her advocacy and appearances. Thanks to Francisco for article inspiration.
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