As the very first wheelchair person to play Elphaba’s sister Nessarose within the 21-year historical past of “Depraved,” Marissa Bode is all too aware of the challenges of representing the disabled group. It’s not sufficient that she take up the mantle of this character; she should additionally defend Nessa from the web. In a video posted to her TikTok web page Friday, Bode drew a tough line with regard to treating these with disabilities with respect.
“This goes thus far past me, Marissa, simply needing to disregard feedback on the web. These feedback don’t exist in a vacuum,” mentioned Bode. “Aggressive feedback of desirous to trigger hurt and push Nessa out of her wheelchair, or that she deserves her incapacity, are two very gross and dangerous feedback that actual disabled folks, together with myself, have heard earlier than.”
In her description of the video, Bode wrote, “Illustration is essential however that’s not the one factor that can save the disabled group. I want a whole lot of y’all (non-disabled folks) to do the work. To dissect and unlearn your individual ableism. Hearken to disabled folks. Observe different disabled folks outdoors of simply me. Learn up on the incapacity rights motion/watch the documentary ‘Crip Camp’! I perceive nobody likes feeling like they’re being scolded. However true progress by no means comes with consolation. And that’s okay.”
Bode began the video by acknowledging the way it’s “OK to not like a fictional character” like Nessarose, however that “incapacity shouldn’t be fictional” and making enjoyable of these with a incapacity is “a low-hanging fruit that too lots of you’re snug taking.”
“Fortunately, I’m at a spot in my life immediately the place I can acknowledge these jokes about incapacity are made out of ignorance,” Bode mentioned. “I couldn’t say the identical about Marissa 10 years in the past, and it might have affected youthful me much more, and I’m nervous {that a} youthful model of myself is someplace on the web and is harmed by these feedback.”
Bode introduced the dialogue again to the central dialog in “Depraved.” She mentioned, “Lastly, I wish to say one of many main themes inside ‘Depraved’ is being able to pay attention and to know each other. And I actually hope that’s one thing a whole lot of you possibly can apply extra and take with you.”
Watch Bode’s whole TikTok under.