TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Mental Health

More Celebrities Are Coming Out about Their Hidden Disabilities

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Elon Musk turning to look at something off camera

Several celebrities are shining a light on hidden disabilities by sharing news of their diagnoses and experiences, particularly with autism. In a TED Talk, Tesla founder Elon Musk talked about being bullied as a child on the spectrum, but also about how the condition has helped him in his career.

“I found it rewarding to spend all night programming computers, just by myself,” he said. “Most people don’t enjoy typing strange symbols into a computer by themselves all night. They think that’s not fun. But I really liked it.”

Actor Wentworth Miller, star of the TV series Prison Break was diagnosed with autism during the pandemic. He has talked about the difficulties of getting diagnosed as an adult: “This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis,” he said. “It was a long, flawed process in need of updating. IMO. I’m a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old.” Read more.

Our TakeAway: When celebrities share their hidden disabilities, it can shine a spotlight on issues faced by millions of people. You may not like or admire Elon Musk but there’s no question he’s an influencer and sometimes a positive one.

Visit Lauderdale Expands Its Embrace of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower; Its Convention Center is First in North America to Adopt the Program

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Logo for US chapter of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower includes a close up of a sunflower and an American flag

Arriving at an unfamiliar convention center can be a confusing experience for anyone but particularly for travelers with disabilities, hidden or visible. The Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is employing a range of tools to make sure all travelers feel welcome from the moment they pass through the door. The new approach represents a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

The convention center is adding a variety of cues to indicate when someone needs special assistance at the facility. A permanent space will be dedicated to providing a person with a hidden disability or a traveling companion various Sunflower products, such as a lanyard, badge, wristband or pin.  And all convention center employees will be trained on how to spot and help someone with a hidden disability.

The initiative is just the latest chapter in Visit Lauderdale’s proactive moves to create a warm and inclusive welcome for every traveler.  The Sunflower, for example, has been incorporated into Visit Lauderdale’s accessible tourism marketing for the past two years and was subsequently adopted by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 

“Visit Lauderdale is committed to providing everyone a safe and supportive environment and has long championed inclusion and accessibility tourism by removing all barriers to a quality experience for everyone,” said Richard Gray, senior vice president of Inclusion and Accessibility at Visit Lauderdale. “We embraced the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program as soon as we learned of it and couldn’t be prouder that our newly renovated and expanded convention center is the very first on the continent to implement the program.” Read more.

 Our TakeAway: Credit Visit Lauderdale for the foresight to realize that their convention center will now not only be accessible for meetings and conventions, but also for the numerous local events and festivals that use the convention center.   Credit Sunflower creators for coming up with an image that is simultaneously subtle and powerful. The growth of the Sunflower is one of the accessible travel industry’s most promising trends.

Visit Florida partners with UK Travel Industry Mag to Offer Online Accessibility Training Seminar for Agents

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Information about the webinar on accessible travel, which includes a reference to a free on-demand viewing option

London-based TTG hosted its first webinar on accessible travel last month in association with Visit Florida. An on-demand recording of the webinar is available for free download. Speakers included:

  • Lynne Kirby, managing director, Enable Holidays
  • Monique Jarrett, model, influencer and diversity advocate
  • Richard Thompson, co-founder, Inclu Travel
  • Narelle McDougall, general manager, Amilla Maldives

The opening session featured a presentation by Visit Florida detailing what the Sunshine State is doing to make its tourism industry more accessible and inclusive. Read more.

Our TakeAway: Smart idea for Visit Florida to tap into the reach of TTG to share their insights and experience on the journey toward more inclusive travel. 

650 Famous People with Non-Visible Disabilities. How Many Do You Recognize?

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Billie Eilish with neon green hair holding a microphone and singing

This website unearthed 650+ famous people with disabilities during our recent research on neurodiversity. What is an example of a disability? According to Disabled World it is:

“A disability is often used to refer to individual functioning, including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness, and various types of chronic diseases. A disability can be present from birth or occur during a person’s lifetime.”

Our Takeaway: Shining the spotlight on successful people with hidden disabilities helps remove the stigma associated with hidden disabilities and reinforces the notion that a disability is not an obstacle to success. Read More.

A Dating App For People With Disabilities Looking For Love

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Dating while disabled comes with a unique set of challenges. It’s something Jacqueline Child, 28, knows all too well as she deals with chronic illness. She and her sister Alexa Child, 32, hope to combat stigma with their new dating app Dateability. By and for the disabled community, it launched Oct. 21. Will it bridge some gaps? Read More.