Did you know that 15% of the world’s population has some sort of disability, and that number is rising every year? The Oxford dictionary defines a disability to be “a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.” Disabilities can be both visible and invisible and are often stigmatized in society and popular culture.
Many people with disabilities feel alienated in society, more often than not feeling like spectacles and underrepresented in the world. However, what most don’t know is that there’s a large number of celebrities that may share the same disability as them.
Here are 10 celebrities who have a disability, both visible and invisible:
- Selena Gomez
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Selena Gomez suffers from an autoimmune disease called lupus. Lupus is a disease in which a person’s own immune system attacks healthy cells, organs and tissues, seeing them as foreign objects. In Gomez’s case, her lupus attacked her kidneys specifically, usually called lupus nephritis. This resulted in her undergoing a kidney transplant at the age of 24 in order to save her life. She’s now an advocate for lupus warriors everywhere and continues to push the importance of mental and physical health.
- Rick Allen
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Rick Allen grew to fame through his drumming skills in the rock band, Def Leppard, beginning in 1978. Sadly, on New Year’s Eve in 1984, he was involved in a car accident. The accident caused him to lose his arm. However, being an amputee didn’t stop him from doing what he loves as he adapted with specially designed drum sets so he can continue to play.
- Michael j. fox
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We all know and love Michael J. Fox from the Back to the Future series, however, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 29. Parkinson’s is a condition where there is a deterioration of the nerves in the brain, causing tremors, muscle tension and instability. Since his diagnosis, Fox launched The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. His foundation acquires funding for research into finding a cure for Parkinson’s in future years to come.
- Venus Williams
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The tennis legend was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome back in 2011, after years of pain and confusion. Sjogren’s is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the saliva and tear glands and is often associated with other autoimmune conditions. Williams found a way to manage her condition and continues to dominate the tennis court.
- Howie Mandel
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Howie Mandel is known for his prominent personality as a TV host and a comedian. Mandel has both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Growing up in the 1960s, Mandel struggled with getting a diagnosis since ADHD was not well researched at the time, he then went on to be a prominent TV presence, in which many people have pushed him out of his comfort zone for the sake of a joke on television.
- Nick Jonas
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The littlest Jo-Bro was diagnosed with type-one diabetes at the age of 13. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which there is little to no insulin production in the pancreas. This can lead to many complications down the road. Jonas started his journey while starting his acting and singing career at Disney. Since then, he has continued to advocate and raise awareness about his condition.
- David Beckham
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Beckham is a well-known soccer star, but did you know he has Tourette syndrome? Tourette’s is a condition that involves the nervous system, causing uncontrollable and repetitive movements and sounds. Beckham’s Tourette’s manifested through his struggle with OCD.
- Elon musk
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The man behind Tesla and SpaceX is a billionaire genius, and he doesn’t let his disabilities stop him. Musk revealed on Saturday Night Live that he has Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder that affects development and communication. He also has dyslexia, a learning disorder in which a person finds it hard to read. Despite this, Musk has made himself a billionaire while producing mass technological advancements throughout the world.
- johnny Depp
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Depp is known for many of his acting gigs throughout the years, from Captain Jack Sparrow to Willy Wonka. In 2013, he revealed that he is blind in one eye and is near-sighted in the other. Despite his condition, he continues to make his mark in some of the most famous movies of all time.
- Millie bobby brown
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The Stranger Things star discovered she was deaf in one ear at birth. Throughout the years, she has lost all hearing from years of tubes and other attempts to save her hearing. Due to her total loss of hearing, Brown says it’s hard for her to hear her own voice. Although her condition is definite, Brown has pushed herself to have a very successful acting career and continues to sing as she states, “I’m just doing what I love.”
These 10 celebrities are just a small portion of the thousands of celebrities with disabilities in the world. To those with a disability, you aren’t alone, you have millions of people behind you who have the same and or similar conditions as you. No matter the obstacle, you’ll persevere, just like many of these celebrities across the globe.