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rktMs. Wheelchair stands up, loses crown
Wisconsin pageant winner found to be 'not disabled enough'
APPLETON, Wis. - Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin has been stripped of her title because pageant officials say she can stand — and point to a newspaper picture as proof.
Janeal Lee, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a scooter, was snapped by The Post-Crescent newspaper standing among her high school math students. The photo was not an expose.
“I’ve been made to feel as if I can’t represent the disabled citizens of Wisconsin because I’m not disabled enough,” Lee said Thursday.
Lee, 30, of Appleton, had planned to go to the national pageant with her younger sister, who also has muscular dystrophy and won the competition in Minnesota.
Students at Kaukauna High School, where Lee teaches, raised $1,000 for her trip to the national pageant.
The move by the state pageant officials, led by coordinator Gina Hackel, is supported by the national board.
Candidates for the crown have to “mostly be seen in the public using their wheelchairs or scooters,” said Judy Hoit, Ms. Wheelchair America’s treasurer. “Otherwise you’ve got women who are in their wheelchairs all the time and they get offended if they see someone standing up. We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public.”
Hackel said Lee should have been aware of the rules.
The crown now goes to first runner-up Michelle Kearney of Milwaukee, who will travel to New York in July for the national pageant.
Wisconsin pageant winner found to be 'not disabled enough'
APPLETON, Wis. - Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin has been stripped of her title because pageant officials say she can stand — and point to a newspaper picture as proof.
Janeal Lee, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a scooter, was snapped by The Post-Crescent newspaper standing among her high school math students. The photo was not an expose.
“I’ve been made to feel as if I can’t represent the disabled citizens of Wisconsin because I’m not disabled enough,” Lee said Thursday.
Lee, 30, of Appleton, had planned to go to the national pageant with her younger sister, who also has muscular dystrophy and won the competition in Minnesota.
Students at Kaukauna High School, where Lee teaches, raised $1,000 for her trip to the national pageant.
The move by the state pageant officials, led by coordinator Gina Hackel, is supported by the national board.
Candidates for the crown have to “mostly be seen in the public using their wheelchairs or scooters,” said Judy Hoit, Ms. Wheelchair America’s treasurer. “Otherwise you’ve got women who are in their wheelchairs all the time and they get offended if they see someone standing up. We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public.”
Hackel said Lee should have been aware of the rules.
The crown now goes to first runner-up Michelle Kearney of Milwaukee, who will travel to New York in July for the national pageant.
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"We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public."
Date: 2005-04-02 06:08 pm (UTC)I spent part of yesterday trying to articulate that whether Ward Churchill is actually Indigenous, while a topic I'm curious about, is really none of my business because the borders of that identity aren't mine to police. This is another identity that probably isn't mine to police, but damn.
Re: "We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public."
Date: 2005-04-02 07:25 pm (UTC)it was that "in public" that really got me wondering 'wtf?'. because i sgree, (just because it IS wisconsin :) ) this isn't my area to be policing, i'm still confuse-ed.
Re: "We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public."
Date: 2005-04-02 07:40 pm (UTC)Re: "We can’t have title holders out there walking when they’re seen in the public."
Date: 2005-04-02 07:59 pm (UTC)so very very true.