by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW
Season 2 of “Push Girls” on the Sundance Channel aired last night, and there are many “Push Girls” out there who are enthusiastic about the new season, including yours truly.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, “Push Girls” is a reality show that follows the lives of five women who have varying degrees of paralysis that have left them wheelchair-bound. The series chronicles their struggles with being women with disabilities, and showcases the sisterhood they have developed among each other due to their life experiences. The Sundance Channel first aired the series last summer, and it became an instant hit for the network.
Personally, I have been waiting for the series to return, especially when the Sundance Channel had announced that the show would be picked up for a second season. The fact that the Sundance Channel has created a show that displays strong women with disabilities who have not allowed their situation to define who they are is beyond phenomenal. The show has taken on a life of its own, with the development of the “Push Girls movement.” The “Push Girls movement” spotlights women (both differently-able and able-bodied) who have displayed tremendous strength, courage, resilience, and drive to live the lives they were destined for, without allowing obstacles to determine their futures.
I wished that there were more programming available that “humanized” what it is like to be a person with a disability. ”Push Girls” is a wonderful beginning, and we need to “push” for more positive, empowering images and stories of people with disabilities on television, movies, and online.
(Featured picture: Courtesy of Push Girls’ Facebook page)
