Real Women of Gaming

Living with a disability can be many things. Some of them can be negative. There are a lot of challenges in a world that is tailored for people who live without disabilities. Perceptions and expectations can add to the difficulty. Ultimately though, living with a disability should be just that, living. 

One teen in Dallas decided to follow a dream of hers last year. Then 17-year-old Alison Appleby was diagnosed with epilepsy three years ago. She was told that she would not be able to compete in pageants due to her diagnosis. Alison and her service dog in training, Brady, set out to prove them wrong. It was a last minute decision for them to enter 2022’s Miss Dallas Pageant that lead to a win that people are still talking about. 

Alison did not have any prior pageant experience. Just a will to compete, and thankfully, a support system. One part of that system was Brady. Brady was in training to alert Alison when a seizure was coming. Many dogs like Brady help people every day. Service dogs alert to many different kinds of medical conditions and disabilities due to their training and can get help if needed.

Alison and Brady entered right before the pageant. Alison told the news that her win “was a shock.” She also commented that the judges did not dismiss her because of her epilepsy but let her compete like everyone else, just the way that she had to in order to succeed. 

This story, to me, is exactly what we need to understand how to make this world more accessible. No one made a “big deal” about Alison’s epilepsy. What she was given was a shot to compete with what she needed to be on the same level as the rest of the contestants. Providing people with the tools they need, the roads or service animals to live their lives is not an inconvenience. It is simply a way to help people to be able to live their lives the way they should be able to. 

Alison and Brady being crowned in this pageant was just one win that people have every day. 

I know this “old” news but I think it is still important news. We can help make it easier for people with disabilities to live the lives they dream of and we should. By giving folks access to what they need we can take steps to making our society a better one for all of us. That will always be something worth fighting for and these wins should be celebrated.