Canadian disability rights advocate Taylor Lindsay-Noel is hopeful that her involvement in the upcoming movie “Being Heumann” will help shed light on the ongoing struggles with accessibility faced by individuals with disabilities.
Known as Access by Tay online, Lindsay-Noel shares reviews on the accessibility of various establishments in Toronto, some of which have garnered over a million views. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 32-year-old began creating videos to showcase the challenges that individuals with disabilities encounter when visiting their preferred locations.
Through her social media presence, Lindsay-Noel urges restaurants and businesses to provide accurate details regarding their accessibility features. A Toronto native, she emphasizes that the city has the capacity to be more inclusive, highlighting the arduous process many individuals with disabilities endure simply to venture outside.
Encountering barriers like inaccessible restrooms and entryways, Lindsay-Noel notes that several establishments lack accessible information online. However, she mentions that most of the restaurants she assessed reached out to her, expressing their commitment to enhancing accessibility measures.
Having sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 14 during her gymnastics career, Lindsay-Noel underwent a period of self-discovery post-injury. This journey led her to explore various avenues, including launching her tea company, before auditioning for a role in “Being Heumann,” a biographical film centered on American disability rights activist Judith Heumann. The movie, directed and written by Academy Award winner Sian Heder, is set to kick off the Toronto International Film Festival.
Portraying a protester in the film, Lindsay-Noel praises the experience as a unique opportunity that made her feel valued. She commends Heder for fostering a welcoming atmosphere on set, akin to her previous work on “CODA,” a critically acclaimed film about a teenager with deaf parents.
In addition to her film involvement, Lindsay-Noel has been vocal about combating ableism, emphasizing the importance of candid conversations surrounding disability issues. She believes that transparency and empathy are essential in addressing ableism effectively, both in her reviews and broader advocacy efforts.
