TikTok may be the culprit behind the widespread theory that Helen Keller never existed (Helen Keller existed, people) or cult “mom” drama behind a modular play sofa known as the Nugget, but amid the conspiracies, comedy and commotion, the platform also happens to be holding a new kind of space for underrepresented communities in a way other social media hasn’t quite been able to do before.
Content creators with autism, dyslexia, disordered eating and ADHD aren’t just on TikTok; they’re using the platform to communicate honest experiences of living with a disability, and their voices are being heard and amplified (as opposed to roped off to some far off, hidden location). The same goes for people within the Deaf community who are not only raising awareness of American Sign Language (ASL) and accessibility, but normalizing hearing loss. In fact, as a whole, the openness, self-awareness and vulnerability of this new age of creators is normalizing, well, not being “normal.”