Every year, on the first Monday in May, conversations and Instagram feeds about entertainment, fashion, pop culture and representation are dominated by one thing; the Met Gala. It's an incredible gathering of privilege, status, money and social capital. Having your name on that invite list is power personified. But amidst all those glamorous shots, there are people missing.
People who have never graced the steps of the Met Gala because they can't. To our knowledge, no one who uses a wheelchair has ever been able to appear on the steps at the Met Gala. Physically disabled people are woefully underrepresented on the culture's biggest stage.
We acknowledge the incredible trailblazers with a disability who have attended the Met over the last few decades. For instance, Sinéad Burke's attendance at the Met in 2021 was huge for the disability community - so let's keep this momentum going.
Missing Perspectives is proud to launch the #YourMoveMet Campaign calling for accessibility adjustments to be made so that wheelchair users can not only shine at the Met Gala, but flourish gloriously on the red carpet - which is the most important part of the night.
We're calling for a rethink around the Met steps - and want to push for ramps and other infrastructure to be considered, so that people who use a wheelchair can appear on the carpet for the iconic photos.
We're doing so alongside two internationally acclaimed disability advocates and kickass women, Daphne Frias (who we were privileged to meet last year in NYC) and our very own Editor-In Chief, Hannah Diviney. Together, these powerful women are calling loudly for change in a coordinated global effort, starting with powerful op-eds you can read below.
If you like what you read, join us on social media #YourMoveMet or simply start a conversation. Word of mouth is our greatest asset.
Missing Perspectives made requests for comment to both the Metropolitan Museum and Vogue Magazine, ahead of publishing this story. None of those requests were answered at the time of publication.