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Push Girls

From Chuck Close to Sunaura Taylor: Disabled artists pushing public perception

Article: From Chuck Close to Sunaura Taylor: Disabled artists pushing public perception

Posted June 18th, 2012, 1:06 PM by

Sunaura Taylor’s work, like Chicken Truck, seen above, is striking and haunting: rows of battery hens in cages and downed calves speak to her commitment to animal welfare activism, while detailed and intimate oil portraits bring people to life on the canvas, and self-portraits depict her disability and connect it with a larger social context. She has arthrogryposis, a congenital condition that causes joint contractures, and uses a wheelchair for mobility. To paint, she uses her mouth to hold the brush, and her work has made quite a mark in the art world; she’s received a number of awards for her painting and her work has been displayed in some distinguished places.

Top 10 secretly feminist films

Article: Top 10 secretly feminist films

Posted June 12th, 2012, 4:06 PM by

No filmmaker in their right mind would advertise the fact that their film has feminist ambitions — we’re pretty sure that’s box office suicide (sad, but true). Despite that, some films have pretty obvious feminist heroes — think THELMA AND LOUISE, G.I. JANE, Jodie Foster’s character in THE ACCUSED, and ERIN BROCKOVICH. And then there are the stealth feminist films — movies that advance the feminist cause without anyone driving off a cliff or shaving their head or or fighting against rape or giving an Oscar-winning, stick-it-to-the-man performance. These movies take feminism for granted and act like it’s no big deal — in fact, they’re so stealth that sometimes maybe even the filmmakers and stars didn’t know what was going on. Here are ten of our favorites:

PUSH GIRLS: A ‘wheelchair sexy’ primer and some mother-daughter drama

Article: PUSH GIRLS: A ‘wheelchair sexy’ primer and some mother-daughter drama

Posted June 11th, 2012, 10:06 PM by

Tonight on PUSH GIRLS we learned more about Mia’s relationship with her mother while we celebrated Angela’s 10th anniversary of survival, and there was plenty of fun too, like Chelsie’s first pair of post-wheels heels. As Auti and Tiphany pointed out when they took her on a shopping trip, your first pair of heels after a major spinal cord injury is, as our Vice President would say, a BFD, because using a chair for mobility doesn’t mean you can’t be sexy.

Bodybuilding grandma Ernestine Shepherd pushes past the competition

Article: Bodybuilding grandma Ernestine Shepherd pushes past the competition

Posted June 11th, 2012, 2:06 PM by

At 75, you’d think Ernestine Shepherd would be in retirement, perhaps volunteering with some local organizations and puttering in her garden. But you’d be wrong, because she’s actually the Guinness World Record holder for oldest female competitive bodybuilder; and she only started training at 71! Did I mention that she goes on a 10 mile run every morning before hitting the gym, and that both of these things probably occur at hours when most of us are asleep (or staying out late)? And if you think Ernestine is a fluke, check out Tao Porchon-Lynch, who happens to be the world’s oldest yogini and yoga instructor at…wait for it…93.

Getting a leg up to the Olympics: Japanese athlete strips down to get to London

Article: Getting a leg up to the Olympics: Japanese athlete strips down to get to London

Posted June 08th, 2012, 10:06 AM by

Japanese para-athlete Maya Nakanishi was having some trouble pulling funding together for her trip to the Paralympic games in London this summer, so she decided to get creative; she made a seminude calendar. A time-honored fundraising tradition, the nude calendar takes it to a whole new level when the subject is a visibly disabled woman who’s also an athlete. It’s like a clash of everything people think they know about bodies and disabilities, and it’s a project that definitely gets Maya Push Girl status!
‘I don’t regret having become nude. I’m very happy that I was able to show Maya Nakanishi as I am.’ (NDTV Sports)
Looking at the images from her calendar, what I’m struck by is her amazingly toned and honed body. This is an athlete’s body. It’s all power and strength and compressed energy. It’s a body that’s turned her into a record holder, but it’s also a body that she can play with, and have fun with; I love that we see her wearing several different legs, turning the prosthesis into an accessory that enriches her life, rather than a symbol of “lesser than.”

Top 10 closet cases in cinema

Article: Top 10 closet cases in cinema

Posted June 07th, 2012, 12:06 PM by

Ahoy! Pride Month 2012 is upon us (already??) and to that end, we are rolling out some notable films that feature the sometimes painful journey toward a proud, authentic existence – a journey that often involves years in the closet. In a time when “it gets better”, when coming out may feel like a redundant, strategic or long-overdue (ahem, Anderson Cooper) tactic, it’s important to remember that on the individual level, this is still a huge milestone in a queer person’s life, a brutally honest moment when each person claims a little more of his or her true self.

They can’t stop gushing over PUSH GIRLS

Article: They can’t stop gushing over PUSH GIRLS

Posted June 05th, 2012, 12:06 PM by

You like us! You really like us! “[PUSH GIRLS] is accomplishing something else: proving that it is possible to set a new standard for reality-type television.” “It’s a solid show of just the kind it’s nice to see as networks explore where they can go with reality programming.” “If you dismiss all reality TV as empty-headed trash, PUSH GIRLS should make you reconsider.”

Top 10 girls who pushed back

Article: Top 10 girls who pushed back

Posted June 05th, 2012, 9:06 AM by

Inspired by the new docu-series PUSH GIRLS, which features four outspoken women rollin’ large, we decided to write about ten women under 40 who push back in their own way. To help us narrow down the list (and not totally lose our minds), we kept it contemporary, which is why you won’t find Joan of Arc, Anne Frank or Rosa Parks below. Even so, it was near impossible to choose just ten young women who embody empowerment. Who else should have been on this list? Let us know in the comments section!

PUSH GIRLS premiere realness: Yes, people in wheelchairs have sex

Article: PUSH GIRLS premiere realness: Yes, people in wheelchairs have sex

Posted June 04th, 2012, 11:06 PM by

Tonight’s episode was called Everyone Stares. And that’s a fact. Get ready to see a whole lot of sexy on PUSH GIRLS, because the premiere episode was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to frank talk on dating and relationships for women thinking about issues like finding life partners and choosing whether to have children (btw, sponsor a lady’s uterus, why don’t you). One of the things I loved about the first episode was the unabashed exploration of sexuality for wheelchair users, since it’s such a taboo topic, something we’re not supposed to talk about; everyone assumes wheelchair users can’t or don’t have sex.

PUSH GIRLS premieres tonight at 10P…are you ready?

Article: PUSH GIRLS premieres tonight at 10P…are you ready?

Posted June 04th, 2012, 9:06 AM by

a lot of buzz because we’re finally getting a show about fierce women with disabilities that isn’t solely focused on the disability experience, but rather on women’s experiences. I’ve already seen the first episode and, trust me, it’s everything I’ve been hoping for and more, because PUSH GIRLS is ready to scare the horses when it comes to confronting women’s issues, talking about what it’s like to be a middle class woman in Los Angeles struggling with dating, employment, and fertility while navigating disability as well. In a media landscape where women’s lives rarely get a chance to enjoy center stage, it’s refreshing to see a show focusing on women and their relationships with each other and I’m jazzed for everyone who will be seeing the premiere tonight.

Watch: PUSH GIRLS dance across New York City

Article: Watch: PUSH GIRLS dance across New York City

Posted June 01st, 2012, 10:06 PM by

We’re only a couple of days away from the first two episodes of PUSH GIRLS and the ladies themselves just can’t wait. They brought their energy and “heels on wheels” from Los Angeles to New York and decided the best way to introduce themselves was to dance across this town.

PUSH GIRLS take over Ellen and score some fly rims

Article: PUSH GIRLS take over Ellen and score some fly rims

Posted May 30th, 2012, 2:05 PM by

We’re only a few days away from the premiere of PUSH GIRLS (Monday, June 4 at 10P, obviously) and the ladies are taking over daytime TV. Angela and Mia stopped by Ellen today to talk about the show and their own experiences with paralysis. Check it out:

PUSH GIRLS’ favorite places to party, shop and more

Article: PUSH GIRLS’ favorite places to party, shop and more

Posted May 23rd, 2012, 3:05 PM by

Sundance Channel’s PUSH GIRLS, Angela, Auti, Mia and Tiphany, are four dynamic, outspoken and beautiful women who, by accident or illness, have been paralyzed from the neck or the waist down. But, that doesn’t stop them from living large in Los Angeles. Have you ever stopped and thought about how accessible some of your favorite hangouts are? Would it be a problem to organize drinks at a favorite bar if one member of your crew was rollin’ in PUSH GIRLS style? Well, the ladies are sharing their list of the most accessible and convenient spots for shopping, dining and entertainment for people living with paralysis. Check out their list, which includes national brands as well as their favorite LA hangouts.

Your first look at PUSH GIRLS

Article: Your first look at PUSH GIRLS

Posted April 18th, 2012, 12:04 PM by

The Sundance Channel original series PUSH GIRLS premieres on June 5th, but you don’t have to wait until then to meet the cast. We’ve got a special sneak peek right here:

PUSH GIRLS’ Chelsie Hill pushes back against drunk driving

Article: PUSH GIRLS’ Chelsie Hill pushes back against drunk driving

Posted April 17th, 2012, 3:04 PM by

Sundance Channel’s original series PUSH GIRLS' star Chelsie Hill, 20, was paralyzed in high school after a car crash caused by drunk driving. She has since made it her mission to share her story with other teenagers to help prevent future tragedies. Find out how Chelsie is fighting to make sure other teens don’t end up in the same situation and check out her story in

PUSH GIRLS sneak peek

Article: PUSH GIRLS sneak peek

Posted April 02nd, 2012, 2:04 PM by

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW DOCU-SERIES PUSH GIRLS
SET TO PREMIERE TUESDAY, JUNE 5TH ON SUNDANCE CHANNEL

Channel offers a “Sneak Peek” at series on April 17th at 10 pm et/pt
Sundance Channel will offer viewers an unfettered, uncensored glimpse at what it means to be sexy, ambitious and living with paralysis in Hollywood, with the highly anticipated docu-series, PUSH GIRLS, set to premiere on Tuesday, June 5th at 10 PM. The 14-part series traces the lives of four dynamic, outspoken and beautiful women who, by accident or illness, have been paralyzed from the neck or the waist down. From executive producer Gay Rosenthal (Little People, Big World, Ruby), PUSH GIRLS captures the daily challenges and personal triumphs of these women, and will shatter all expectations of what life in a wheelchair can be.

PUSH GIRLS premieres Tuesday April 17th

Article: PUSH GIRLS premieres Tuesday April 17th

Posted February 08th, 2012, 2:02 PM by

Sundance Channel rolls out its spring season with the groundbreaking docu-series PUSH GIRLS, premiering April 17th at 10p E/P. PUSH GIRLS, a new series from producer Gay Rosenthal (Ruby, Little People, Big Word), traces the lives of four dynamic, outspoken and beautiful women who, by accident or illness, have been paralyzed from the neck or the waist down.

Sundance Channel greenlights new, original non-fiction series PUSH GIRLS

Article: Sundance Channel greenlights new, original non-fiction series PUSH GIRLS

Posted January 14th, 2012, 9:01 PM by

Docu-Series Explores The Lives Of Four Women As They Tackle Everyday Challenges, All While Living With Paralysis

Push Girl ’pu̇sh ’gər(-ə)l noun, definition:
a) A fierce, fearless female who is not helpless, hapless or hopeless.
b) A powerful woman who might be confined by a wheelchair but does not let her paralysis confine or define her life.
c) A person who sheds their handicap and faces life head on.

In the same way “Murderball,” winner of the 2005 Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, took the lid off the competitive world of “wheelchair rugby,” Sundance Channel is bringing an unfettered, uncensored glimpse at what it means to be sexy, ambitious and living with paralysis in Hollywood with PUSH GIRLS, a new original non-fiction series from producer Gay Rosenthal (“Ruby,” “Little People, Big World”).