#InclusiveBitmojis

Hey Everyone!

I think it's time to start talking about #InclusiveBitmojis again! If you don't know what I'm talking about - here is some background:

#InclusiveBitmojis started about six months ago when I was planning to update my Bitmoji. And I did. I changed out of the winter clothes and into summer clothes. BUT there was something missing that I should've really noticed earlier (I think I did but didn't think too much of it at the time) and that was a wheelchair! I searched & searched the whole Bitmoji app for it, and there was nothing which got me thinking...

Bitmoji really need to add disability options and I'm not just talking about wheelchairs, I'm talking about all different kinds of options like prosthetics, orthotics, breathing tubes, canes, and more. So I had a thought of doing a video for my YouTube channel:

THEN, I also started a change.org petition to raise even more awareness towards getting Inclusive Bitmojis and hopefully to get a response from Bitmoji themselves.

After posting the video and petition, I received some feedback.  I believe I had about 50-100 signatures after a few days but to me, it still wasn't enough feedback. This is an important topic and needs more push towards it.

SO I took it to Instagram and posted the following picture with more info about the reasoning behind the importance of wanting Inclusive Bitmojis (diversity being the main reason):

View this post on Instagram

This is my #bitmoji and I love the app BUT there's something missing. And that is a wheelchair! Bitmojis are supposed to be a representation of who we are but for the disability community, we don't have the same feel for representation because @bitmoji doesn't have any disability options. 20-25% of the population have a disability and aren't being represented. I would love to be able to add a wheelchair to my Bitmoji because that is a better representation of me. I posted a video on #YouTube about my thoughts on wanting disability options for Bitmoji. I also started a petition and hope to reach a wider audience so we, the disability community, can represent ourselves better when we share our Bitmojis. The link to the petition is on my bio so please sign and share! 😀❤♿ #disability #awareness #representation #representationmatters #disabiityawareness #change #love #life #live #important #petition #inclusivebitmojis

A post shared by Caitlin Goerlich (@cgoerlich) on Apr 27, 2019 at 5:37pm PDT

REPRESENTATION MATTERS!

That's basically the main point of my Instagram post because it does. We see talks about representation mattering when it comes to other minority groups but there's never a huge talk when it comes to the disabled community (remember my Oscars' controversy post).

BUT anyways back to the Instagram post. After I posted it, I started getting more feedback and even more signatures towards the petition. AND it wasn't all me as it took one more person to see the post for it to really start reaching more people and that was one of my former teachers who helped a lot with the campaign, as well as one of my friends who too would like to see himself represented in his Bitmoji.

Ever since the initial Instagram post, we have done more videos - a PSA on Facebook & Instagram and a couple update videos on my YouTube page.

With all this push, the petition now has 1,600 signatures and I'm ecstatic about it! We even received a couple responses from Bitmoji on Twitter. The first response was a generic one (similar to one they've been giving for the past three years to others who have asked):

That was definitely a generic answer and they say they're "actively working" on it but they've been saying that for almost three years now and haven't shown any movement of having disability options for Bitmoji. So we kept at it and tweeting #InclusiveBitmojis, and after (I believe) a week, they responded again with a more real answer:

It's still NOT a great answer but it's a better one than their previous answer. But I still have a question: Is it really that hard? I mean...you have cars, you have lounge chairs (and other kinds of chairs), and more. It's not like we're asking for every sticker in the app.

We know some of the disability options won't work for some of the stickers. We just want to be able to see that we're included and that there are options & stickers for us. I no longer use the stickers where my Bitmoji is standing because I feel it truly wouldn't represent me if she's standing and I'm not.

It's time, Bitmoji! Even if is just one option...for now. Show us that you are serious about adding disability options. And remember, it's not just wheelchairs we want - we want ALL disabilities to be represented.

Now - the reason why I'm writing this post is to bring the #InclusiveBitmojis campaign back to life because it has slowed down over the last couple months and we need to pick it back up! Bitmoji hasn't shared any new disability options yet and I feel we should remind them that we are still waiting for those options.

As I'm writing this post, the petition has 1,607 signatures and I would LOVE that number to go up. So if you haven't signed the petition yet, please do so and if you have signed it, SHARE it everywhere you can: Bitmoji Needs Disability Options Petition

Along with sharing the petition, you can share this blog post or any of the videos that we have posted. There are a couple videos on Twitter, a couple on my YouTube channel, and Instagram. And don't forget to use the tag #InclusiveBitmojis in your posts. Also tweet Bitmoji on Twitter using #InclusiveBitmojis!

Let's get ALL people represented.

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3

National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month

Hey Everyone!

As most of you know, I have a spinal cord injury and became a wheelchair user due to complications in major surgeries. Well guess what? It's September! And September is National Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness Month! :)

At first, I had no idea that there was a National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month until a few years ago and the color for the awareness is lime green (check out the ribbon above). I was happy to find out that SCI had an awareness month because it should be celebrated and help raise awareness towards spinal cord injuries.

There's an average of 17,000 new SCI each year and no, they aren't all from accidents (something many believe to be the case). Having an awareness month brings different kinds of awareness towards SCI: different kinds of causes of SCI, the aftermath of a SCI, finding out cures, and more.

Every year, I can't wait for September because that's when I post throughout the month different pictures for SCI awareness month. Here is a picture of one:

During this month, many think back and wonder the 'what ifs' and the hopes of a cure so they can have the life they once knew upon a time back while others take this month as a reflection & celebrate their SCI. I am one of the ones that celebrate my spinal cord injury. 

I always say without the SCI and becoming a paraplegic, I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't have participated in adaptive sports. I wouldn't have the friends I have today. And I wouldn't have the kind of view of the world I have today. It helped shape me to the person I am and I wouldn't change a thing. 

I always look forward to September and hope that there will be more awareness towards future National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Months. If you would like to learn more about spinal cord injuries, you can click on the following links:

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

NSCISC Facts & Figures

United Spinal

I will close this post by sharing the video I posted on my YouTube channel where I spoke about National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. You can watch it below:

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3 

Two Years Later

Hey Everyone!

Well...it's been awhile. Two years to be exact. So you're probably asking: "Where have you been?" "Why haven't you written any new posts?" "What's been going on?" Well...I'm ready to answer all THREE questions and to give an update on where this blog is going 😊

Where Have You (I) Been?
I've been in the same place I've been when I was writing a couple years ago. I'm still working at Kohl's. I'm still competing in adaptive sports: field (shot put, discus, and javelin), table tennis, and archery. But, I am now a part of the Tri-State Wheelchair Athletic Association (TSWAA) board. And I'm still working on writing my book(s).

Why Haven't You (I) Written Any New Posts?
Honestly...I think it had to do with writer's block and procrastination. I had ideas of what to write on here but didn't know how to start or where to go with it so I would say "I'll write it next week," then it would be the next week and I'll say it again. Then, it ended up being a month later and then months went by and now two years went by. That's really all to why I haven't written anything.

What's Been Going On?
Ok so the answer to this question can be the same as the answer to the first question. BUT, I do have more to share and add. It has to do with my YouTube channel. I've always had a channel but now I'm actually using it and posting videos on it. Videos like 'My Top 10' where I share my top 10 favorite things of a top (for example: my top 10 favorite Disney Channel Original Movies [DCOMs]), Disability Awareness (for example: National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month), about myself, and other fun videos. Make sure you check out my channel and SUBSCRIBE & press the bell so that you're alerted every time I post a new video. And again, I'm still working on my book(s) and in the process of something that I will soon (hopefully) let you all in on 😉

NOW, I want to let you know that since I'm writing this post - it does mean I am planning on writing some more and officially return to my Wiki-Wheelz blog. YAY! I have a plan set up for how I'm going to do my blog and my YouTube channel. What is that plan? Well...press the play button below and watch as I explain what it is 🔻

So what do you think? Do you think I'm going to be able to keep up with both YouTube and my blog? Only time will tell and I hope I definitely will be able to keep up with it. That's my goal. I definitely won't let another two years go by before writing another post.

Make sure you enter your email into the top right corner (if you haven't already) so that you can be alerted every time I update the blog. AND don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can watch all my new videos! Also, if you haven't yet - check out all my previous posts so you can see what kind of posts you can expect from me on here.

That's really all I have for now. But stay tuned for future posts & videos!

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3