Canadian disability advocate Taylor Lindsay-Noel is optimistic that her involvement in the upcoming movie “Being Heumann” will shed light on the ongoing challenges of accessibility faced by individuals with disabilities. Known as Access by Tay in the online sphere, Lindsay-Noel shares reviews on the accessibility of various establishments in Toronto, garnering over a million views on some of her videos.
The 32-year-old initiated these videos post the COVID-19 outbreak to showcase the obstacles individuals with disabilities encounter when frequenting their preferred venues. Through her social media presence, Lindsay-Noel urges restaurants and businesses to be transparent about their accessibility features.
A Toronto native, Lindsay-Noel believes the city has the potential to be more inclusive. She emphasized the significant hurdles, such as insufficient online accessibility information, inaccessible washrooms, and entryways, that impede individuals with disabilities from fully participating in various activities.
Lindsay-Noel mentioned that most of the restaurants she assessed reached out to her, expressing their commitments to enhancing accessibility standards. A former national gymnast, Lindsay-Noel’s life took a turn at the age of 14 when a gymnastic accident left her paralyzed from the chest down.
Passionate about advocating for disability rights, Lindsay-Noel ventured into various endeavors, including establishing her tea company. This passion led her to audition for “Being Heumann,” a biopic featuring American disability rights activist Judith Heumann. The film is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The movie revolves around a historic 28-day sit-in protest staged at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in San Francisco in 1977. Lindsay-Noel plays a non-speaking role in the film as one of the demonstrators involved in the sit-in, considering the opportunity a significant moment in her life.
Acknowledging the importance of Heumann’s actions in advancing the disability rights movement, Lindsay-Noel commended the protesters’ resilience during the sit-in, enduring challenging conditions to demand the enforcement of regulations safeguarding the rights of individuals with disabilities.
Expressing gratitude for the inclusive environment fostered by the film’s director, Lindsay-Noel highlighted the significance of honest conversations about ableism and disability to promote understanding and inclusivity.