In a TikTok video, Bode, who plays Nessarose in the film remake of the musical, spoke out: “Disabled people have been crying out for inclusion for years – and our voices are being drowned out in a false diversity.”

The queer actress noted that visibility is usually limited to “special episodes” or “thematic photo shoots,” away from the normal rhythm and institutions of fashion and entertainment. “We don’t need fetish invitations. We need daily access,” she said.

Bode doesn’t mince her words: she calls on non-disabled people, especially those in power, to stop pretending to be allies only when it suits them. “If you’re in the industry and you have a voice, ask, ‘Where are the disabled people at the Met? And who is responsible for this?'”

Instead of waiting for another token appearance for “diversity,” he calls for action. “Hire more of us. We exist in the same spaces, in the same society. We want to be part of everyday life, not guilt.”

Her message ends with a call-to-action:
“Help us get there. Because we can’t do this alone.”