A US mother whose toddler was rejected by a casting agency because he had Down syndrome has posted photos of him online in a bid to challenge beauty norms.
Georgia mum Megan Nash said she was left stunned when a local talent agency refused to submit photos of her son Asher for an open casting call, citing the fact their clients might not want a child with special needs, CNN reports.
Ms Nash challenged the decision by posting a photo of her son to the Facebook page Changing the Face of Beauty. It was later reposted to another Facebook group, Kids with Down Syndrome, where it has received almost 10,000 reactions.
“We aren't giving up! This handsome boy is ready to show the world what #changingthefaceofbeauty is!” Ms Nash captioned the image.
Ms Nash said she shared the photo in the hopes of improving inclusion and acceptance of people with disabilities in general day-to-day life.
“Using people with special needs (in advertisements) shows the world that these people have value and worth just like any typical person does," she told CNN.
Ms Nash said she has since been contacted by US children’s clothing company OshKosh, with a representative from the organisation planning to meet with her and Asher next week to discuss the possibility of him appearing in an advertisement.
Ms Nash said she will only support the opportunity so long as OshKosh is motivated by a genuine sense of value for the boy and his contributions, and not the desire to capitalise on his online popularity.
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