📈 TrendJack: Shattering Stereotypes for World Down Syndrome Day 💪

March 20, 2024

🪝 The Hook: World Down Syndrome Day

 🏄 The Campaign: In support of World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March, Italian action group, CoorDown, released an ad campaign raising awareness of the ways that societal expectations of disabled people can stifle their growth and independence. 

In the campaign, which went viral this week, Canadian actor Madison Tevlin goes through the various ways that people have imposed their prejudices on her, through various harmful assumptions including that she can't drink, have sex, or live alone.

💡 Why it matters: Society's infantilisation of disabled people perpetuates the idea that they are incapable of participating in "normal" adult activities, including drinking alcohol, living independently, and excelling in sports, work, and education.

These kinds of prejudices fail to recognise disabled peoples' agency, autonomy, and diverse abilities, forcing them into a box that limits their many potentials. If we don't work to encourage the growth and confidence of disabled individuals, then our prejudices will continue to stifle them.