Every July, brands get a little louder.
The banners go up. The hashtags start circulating.
But Disability Pride Month? More often than not, it slips by quietly – overshadowed, sidelined, or at worst, completely ignored.
And that silence says a lot..
Because disability is rarely centred in the glossy, curated world of beauty. It’s rarely part of the conversation unless it’s forced in – unless disabled creators demand to be seen.
At Glisten Cosmetics, we’re not interested in performative allyship. We’re not here to slap on a logo and call it a day. We believe in building platforms where underrepresented voices take the mic, hold the lens, and direct the shot list.
That’s why this Disability Pride Month, we partnered with Look Deeper Zine – an independent magazine created by and for disabled creators. Their mission is exactly what the beauty industry needs more of: nuance, truth, and art that doesn’t sanitise the lived experience. No tokenism. No shrinking down. Just powerful storytelling – and the room to tell it.
Together we collaborated on a photoshoot and feature that doesn’t just showcase products – it centres disabled identity as a creative force. As pride. As protest.
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More about the shoot/why we did it -
We talk a lot about “beauty standards” in this industry. But let’s be honest – what we usually mean is skin tone, body size, gender. Important conversations, yes. But disability? That’s still taboo. Still pushed to the edge of visibility.
At Glisten, we believe makeup isn’t just about “making yourself up.” It’s therapy. It’s reclaiming the mirror, especially when the world refuses to reflect you.
We want every customer – disabled, queer, chronically ill, neurodivergent, and everything in between – to feel like they have not just access to our products, but ownership over them. Because your body isn’t the problem. The systems that exclude it are. So when Look Deeper asked us to contribute to their upcoming issue, the answer wasn’t just yes – it was finally.
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Meet the contributors: Instead of speaking for disabled voices, we handed the blog over to the people who live it. In this issue, you’ll hear from:
Ellie, the owner of Look Deeper Zine, says that, “People don’t understand why disability should be celebrated - and to me, that’s exactly why Disability Pride Month matters.” Ellie reflects on the legacy of radical disabled activists who paved the way for today’s community, and how Disability Pride is both remembrance and resistance. She speaks with honesty about the journey from shame to pride, and how the disabled people in her life taught her to love that part of herself too. Her message to Parliament? Start with: “What the fuck are you doing?”
And end with a reminder that disability is not a niche issue - it’s everyone’s reality, waiting to happen. And everyone, regardless of ability to work, deserves a full, beautiful life.
Harriet, who writes: “I’m not a tragedy or a superhero… I’m just me.” She talks powerfully about fighting stereotypes, showing up as her full self, and what she’d shout at Parliament given the chance. And it involves demanding a seat at the table!
Enas, who shares: “My disability is part of what makes me who I am. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” Enas speaks to the quiet, radical act of being visible – and how showing up in art, fashion, and poetry as a disabled person is resistance in motion.
Shelby, who couldn’t join us on the shoot - but whose words still deserve the spotlight: “We are valuable members of society who see things differently from you - and that’s helpful.” Though Shelby was unable to be part of the photoshoot, her voice cuts through with clarity and fire. She speaks about empathy, perspective, and the everyday realities disabled people navigate, from misunderstood benefit systems to inaccessible workplaces. She reminds us that Disability Pride is both a celebration and a protest - a chance to recognise how far the community has come, and how far we still have to go. Also? She gets to skip the Primark queue. And honestly, we respect that.
Her message to those in power? “DISABLED RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS!!”
Say it louder.
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@elliedarbyprangnell
What does disability pride month mean to you?
To me, disability pride is about celebrating and remembering all the radical disabled people who came before me, who fought for years and years on end so that we could have a level of accessibility just to live. Because without them, our lives would look so incredibly different.
It’s also about embracing who we are fully, disability and everything. I think the fact that people don’t understand why disability is something that even should be celebrated to me proves exactly why we need disability pride month.
What makes you proud to be disabled?
My community make me incredibly proud to be disabled. The people I have met throughout my life who are disabled make me so so proud to be part of a community that I was once somewhat embarrassed and a little ashamed to be (visibly disabled). But now I could not be more proud of my community and to be part of it. I'm so proud of them, and that has also made me have pride in myself as well.
What’s one thing you would shout at parliament this month?
What the fuck are you doing? is what I’d start with.
I would say you could literally become disabled in a heartbeat. I don’t know why you’re going about doing what you’re doing. It could affect you any day, and it could affect anyone any day. You need to remember ALL disabled lives are important and valuable, whether you can work or not. Everyone should have the right to live a full, beautiful life, and you are making life incredibly difficult for people.
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@harrietringsell
I’m proud to be disabled.Not because it’s easy,but because I’ve learned strength, adapted in a world not built for me,and found power in being different.
I move through life with courage, honesty, and grit.I don’t need fixing, I need space to be fully me. And that? That’s something to be proud of.
What’s one thing I love about being disabled?
I get to break stereotypes just by living. I’m not a tragedy or a superhero...I’m just me.
I work full-time.I’ve got a man who loves me.I laugh, cry, stress about bills, binge Netflix,and order takeaway when I can’t be arsed to cook - just like everyone else. But because I’m disabled,people sometimes expect less.So every time I show up, speak up, succeed, or love...I challenge those tired old assumptions. I’m living proof that disability doesn’t mean “less than.” It just means different — and sometimes, stronger.
Honestly? The thing I love is showing others:If I can do it, anyone can. It means showing up as my whole self —without apology or shame.
What does Disability Pride mean to me?
It means people like me being seen, heard, and valued.It means breaking silence, smashing stigma, and making room for everybody, every mind, every story.
Disability Pride reminds the world:
We are not “less.” We are many. We are mighty. And we deserve a world that includes all of us.
If the government really listened...
I’d say:
Stop making decisions that affect millions of disabled people without talking to us first. You cut benefits, strip support, and tell us to “just try harder” —while ignoring the barriers you help create. I work full-time.I live my life fully —but I shouldn’t have to fight for the basics. Being disabled isn’t the problem, the system is. Inclusion means nothing if we’re not at the table. Listen to lived experience, fund the support & respect our worth.
What people in power need to get about disabled lives:
We’re not your inspiration. We’re not your burden. We’re not your afterthought. We are people - living, working, loving, thriving - in a world that throws up barriers and dares us to call it fair.
Disabled lives aren’t tragic. What’s tragic is how hard we have to fight for dignity, access, and equity. We don’t need pity. We need policies that include us. Services that work. Systems that see us. Don’t just tick the inclusion box — let us hold the pen. Real change starts when disabled people lead the conversation.
We don’t need saving. We need equality.
What’s one thing I’d shout at Parliament?
“We fight twice as hard just to be seen, start to listen and don’t listen to react, listen to empower, affect, and change lives.Give us a seat at the damn table.”
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@official_enas
What makes you proud to be disabled?
I’m proud because I’m unapologetically myself. I spent a long time trying to fit into boxes I was never built for. Now I accept and celebrate the fact that I’m different. My disability is part of what makes me who I am. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
What’s one thing you love about being disabled?
I love that I get to be visible. I didn’t grow up seeing people who looked like me or moved like me in the spaces I dreamed of being in. The arts, fashion, poetry. Now I get to be that for someone else. That’s Powerful.
What does Disability Pride mean to you?
It means showing up as your full self. No masking, no shrinking. It means refusing to apologise for what others might call a limitation, and recognising it for what it really is: resourcefulness, creativity, and resilience.
If the government really listened, what would you say?
I’d say that so many of us are just trying to live a full life. Just because someone works, smiles, or looks “okay” doesn’t mean they aren’t in pain or struggling to keep things together. Disability support is not charity. It’s survival. Fund it properly.
What do people in power need to get about disabled lives?
We don’t need pity. We need proper resources. That includes access to the community, financial support,safe housing, and dignity. Most of us on PIP are working and contributing. But the system is designed to question us, not support us.
What’s one thing you’d shout at Parliament this month?
Stop funding wars. Start feeding the poor.
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@shelbykinsxo
What makes you proud to be disabled?
I am proud to be disabled because I think I am more understanding and empathic when it comes to people. I can usually see things from others point of view because I often need people to do the same for me.
What’s one thing you love about being disabled?
I get to skip the queues in Primark!
What does Disability Pride mean to you?
It's a time where we get to celebrate disabled people and acknowledge the fights we've had to put in over the years to get our basic human rights. We also get to celebrate disabled people who are now advocating for disabled people to have space in different areas of society such as; the fashion industry, the dance and music industry and other species disabled people are often left out from.
If the government really listened, what would you say?
There's so much I feel like the government don't understand about the disabled experience. First of all PIP isn't a out of work benefit so stopping disabled people from receiving it isn't going to push us into getting a job. PIP is to help with the extra costs of being disabled such buying medication, paying for our care, paying electricity bills due to having medical equipment plugged in 24/7. If you want us to work make sure there's a law where businesses have to accommodate our needs such as; working from home, making sure buildings are accessible with ramps, disabled toilets, sensory friendly work environments ect ect. You're just plunging us further into poverty not helping us work.
What do people in power need to get about disabled lives?
We are valuable members of society who see things differently from you - which I believe is very helpful.
What’s one thing you'd shout at Parliament this month?
DISABLED RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS!!
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Disability Pride Month shouldn’t be a box to tick, it should be a mirror – one that reflects not just who’s already visible, but who’s still waiting outside the frame. We’re learning, listening, and actively creating space for disabled creativity, protest, and power.
If you’re disabled and reading this:
You’re not a footnote
You’re the centre of the story. And at Glisten, you’ll always have a seat at the table – and the glitter to go with it.
A special thanks to everyone else who took part in making this shoot so incredible:
Photography: @daniellepainting
Styling: @camp.my.style
Makeup: @shanimushington
Hair: @francysfrearcreative
Remember to tag us in your looks over on Instagram and TikTok! Subscribe below for even more Glisten content and to be in the know about product updates and exciting new releases!
By Ellie Black
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