Changing the heart of beauty

Seeing a model with Down syndrome  walk down the runway is a new exciting sight to see. It's exciting because its different. Before last year it was not seen or talked about. Seeing Izzy in the Target ad last year started a huge surge of awareness for Down syndrome and also the lack of models with different abilities being featured in ads and media.  This paved the way for Ronin to be featured in a Target social media ad on Pinterest and just a few weeks ago he was in a Target web commercial for baby food.  It was super exciting for our family to see him model for Target. "Model and Down syndrome" , I never thought those two words would ever be in the same sentence.
I've read multiple articles on social media and have seen all the comments online. You get an array of comments from all types of people.  There are more supporters than the usual "internet trolls".  To really know where you stand on an issue, you need to hear what the other side thinks and their reasoning.  So while reading some comments, a few words from a commenters were "exploitation" and "trend" and those words really had me start to think.

Inclusion is our main goal with society today but it isn't just what is seen though.
While we see Madeline on the runway, is there more inclusion going on behind the scenes? Are people thoughts and hearts being changed in the process? This is the inclusion that is the most important to me.  Do people involved with our models still use the "R" word as the adjective of choice? Do they place limits on those deemed different? Do they support the termination of pregnancy that comes back with a positive trisomy genetic screening? If Ronin was given the chance to model on the runway but the designer showed that his/her actions and personal words have not changed, i would not encourage my son to model in the show or would pull my son from the company's photo shoot.  Inclusion isn't a trend. Its not here today, gone tomorrow.  It is the words and actions of society that fuels inclusion.

If the inclusion we see is not fueled by the inclusion of word and actions what is the point of it all? Society will not change and will revert back to its old, comfortable ways.

The hope is that one day models of  different abilities wont be news or given a double look. I am glad it is starting now and will be excited to see what the future may hold for our children with Down syndrome.  The sky is their limit, especially when others do not place limits on them.