Clare Cashmore—a 32-year-old athlete who has won gold, silver and bronze medals while competing at four Paralympic Games—shared the memories the film brought up for her, as well.
“‘Your arm is so scary.’ ‘Your arm makes me feel sick.’ These are just a few comments I received growing up,” she wrote in part of an Instagram post on Nov. 3. “As a self-conscious youngster these comments hurt ALOT and would knock my confidence. Nowadays I just feel sorry for the very ignorant people.”
She then said seeing The Witches made her “very confused/upset.”
“Yes you could say it’s great to see someone with a limb difference on TV and more than anything I really want to see more representation in the media,” she continued. “However we want disabilities to…be normalised and be represented in a positive light rather than being associated with being a scary, evil, witch.”
“I know a lot of children and adults who are born missing their fingers and I want them to know that this does not represent you,” she added. “Your limb difference is not scary. Your difference is unique and beautiful and should be celebrated. Some may think that the limb difference community is being over sensitive. But have you lived your life trying to overcome a stigma?”