The Bold Type missed an opportunity for disability representation with Ali Stroker's guest appearance

Elle

"When I heard that Tony winner Ali Stroker would be making an appearance on the show, I was ecstatic. Finally, The Bold Type representation I’d been dreaming of!" says Esme Mazzeo. "Except Stroker, who uses a wheelchair, doesn’t play a writer in this episode, titled 'Leveling Up.' She plays Olivia, a no-nonsense representative for a fashion brand who is reluctant to give Sutton access to her client’s clothes. Though Olivia and Sutton are friends who’ve had more than a few drunken nights out together, the person for whom Sutton wants to borrow the clothes has a reputation for stealing, so Sutton must go on a winding journey to gain Olivia’s trust. The story isn’t centered on Olivia, and her disability isn’t mentioned at all. On one hand, this is the type of disability representation I’ve been fighting for my whole career. The public needs to see disabled characters defined by factors other than their disabilities...But this isn’t the best The Bold Type can or should do."