Will Erb’s representation ever be equitable?
To see a gay man confidently talk about his Erb’s Palsy on one of the largest media platforms of this generation is BEYOND! Let me tell you, I was in actual *tears* when this segment came across my screen while washing up:
Erb’s Palsy, as Qaysean explains: “It’s limited function in my left arm. I’m unable to feel, really, in my fingers”. He and I share this disability.
The technical name for it is Obstetric Brachial Plexus Paralysis. For me, I sustained shoulder dystocia while being born and this injury damaged some of the nerves within my brachial nexus in my right shoulder. It has left me with reduced strength, dexterity, and range of movement in my right arm, right from the shoulder down to my fingertips. While I’ve had multiple surgeries and receive regular physiotherapy there is little chance of a full recovery.
For those with a penchant interest in the designing of chic garments, you’ll already be familiar with ‘Next in Fashion’. Now in its second season, the Netflix original series is co-hosted by Tan France (‘Queer Eye’, ‘Dressing Funny’), and, new addition: Gigi Hadid (39-time Vogue Cover Supermodel, mother).
Self-proclaimed #TheOneHandSewingMan @RealLifeManikin Qaysean Williams is one of the 12 competitors in this recent season. In his time on the show he sheds light on what it’s like to live with Erb’s by showing how his pursuit of fashion shifted people’s perceptions of him: “Growing up I was always singled out as the handicapped kid. For the first time ever, I was recognised for me and not because I was a guy with a disability.”
Here, he taps into a line of thinking that has long bothered me. Because having Erb’s isn’t always immediately obvious to some people, there is the option to conceal my arm in public if the situation calls for it. It can be somewhat of a defence mechanism to keep my hand in my pocket when walking in busy places, for example, because then I appear like everyone else. Yet if I need to carry cumbersome objects, I will do it in a way that caters to the physical limitations that I have. This makes it my Erb’s evident for everyone around me.
Watching someone with my injury cut fabrics, operate a sewing machine, and pin garments to mannequins is inspiring for the determination to not let limitations hold him back. The Erb’s Blurb does a fantastic job of circulating similar community stories within those who know of people with the disability, but what Next in Fashion does is take this to the next level. Netflix has invested resources into production and I’m appreciative of the fact that Qaysean’s story can help to raise awareness of this on an international stage.
On casting for the series, Brandon Riegg told Variety: “One of the core tenets of our approach to programming is having diversity, and diversity comes in lots of different forms; obviously we are a global platform, but really it came to finding great characters with great story, and who are credible in the fashion space. And that was a big driver in terms of the casting.”
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
if you haven’t watched Next in Fashion S2
I’m in two minds when reflecting on Qaysean’s three-episode stint. In one respect, I admire his ability to construct silhouettes within the same amount of time as his fellow competitors. This is an idealistic practice which serves to show an equal treatment for all. However, I can’t shake the feeling that his final designs were let down by him not being treated equitably by production.
In his third and final episode, he gets emotional explaining the specific challenges that he faced in the ‘Thrift’ challenge. In the rushed state that the time constraints placed on him, he wasn’t able to steady the fabric weights that assist him in cutting patterns. Gigi clocks him for this when the judges break down the look post-runway calling the lines on the top: “confusing”. Despite pivoting to start from scratch with only ~1hr to go before presenting on the runway in this episode, he still turned out what Tan called a “sensational” white pant detailing. What let him down was the mis-styled yellow bodice.
“You know being a person with a disability; people put a stigma on us. So I always told myself that I was gonna turn my disability into my superability” [sic]
Qaysean Williams
Now, the following is pure speculation because I haven’t had the chance to speak directly with the 33-year-old designer from New Jersey, but… I suspect that he wasn’t able to wholly finesse his preliminary sketches into sculptures of material because of these harsh deadlines. I’ve been in these high-stress pressured environments and having the physical inability to do something can sometimes be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I truly understand his emotional outburst. He handles his exit with bittersweet decorum wishing his competitors well acknowledging that “everybody here deserves it and I would love to see anyone of them win.”
We know that independently he can construct beautiful gowns. Just take a look at his ig feeds:
But the three he constructs during the show don’t meet this standard. How then, can we equitably measure success in this format? Netflix does a fantastic job of providing screentime for the struggles he faced but seemingly little to help ensure an equitable playing field was in place. Should Netflix truly want Qaysean to showcase his true talent might they consider needs-based exam-style ‘Extra Time’?
YES, I know the fashion industry moves fast. There’s 25 international fashion weeks listed on FashionWeekOnline for this year alone. Time is a precious commodity.
But it is not without precedence for competitors to work under varied time conditions. If Time can be witheld as a punishment as it so often is in Glow Up. Then it follows that it can be allocated to individuals with a genuine consideration for this assistance. To this end, if concluding the challenge at the same time is necessary, as it is for runways, then might Qaysean get a ‘headstart’ on the competitors so that they approach the same deadline.
It appears I’m not alone in this suggestion:
Disability is not a question of ‘if’… it’s a question of ‘when’. With every year of age, you increase the chances of becoming susceptible to illness, frailty or wounding. It just so happens that people like Qaysean & I have the fate of living our entire lives with a physical injury, literally from the moment of birth.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that: “everyone has their cross to bear”.
Guy A. Forster-Pearce 