Marissa Bode Exposes Met Gala’s Accessibility Gaps
Rigorous reporting and evidence-based insight—let’s dig into the core of Marissa Bode’s recent critique of the Met Gala. During this year’s red-carpet extravaganza, the “Wicked” star publicly challenged the event’s organizers for failing to meet basic accessibility and inclusion standards, shining a spotlight on a longstanding blind spot in high-fashion circles.
Bode took to Instagram on May 1, citing firsthand experience as a disability rights advocate and performer who uses mobility aids. She highlighted three critical barriers: the absence of wheelchair ramps at the main entrance, lack of sign-language interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests, and no designated seating for service animals. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four adults lives with some form of disability—yet the Met Gala roster featured fewer than five publicly disclosed attendees with visible disabilities this year (source: People Magazine, Variety).
Her post quoted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reminding readers that it’s been over three decades since the landmark law mandated public venues to provide reasonable accommodations. Bode pointed to the Met’s sprawling steps at the main façade—still inaccessible to many—and the omission of live captions on the event’s high-profile livestream. “Fashion forward shouldn’t mean leaving millions behind,” she wrote, calling for immediate measures ahead of next year’s fundraiser at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Industry insiders confirm that while the Costume Institute’s curatorial team has discussed inclusion efforts internally, logistical challenges and legacy venue constraints have stalled progress (source: The Hollywood Reporter). A Met Gala spokesperson responded with a brief statement: “We are committed to improving accessibility and are reviewing feedback from Ms. Bode and our guests to implement meaningful changes in 2025.”
Contextualizing this exchange, it’s important to note growing pressure on major cultural institutions to reflect diversity beyond race and gender. Earlier this season, the Venice Film Festival upgraded its red-carpet ramps, and London Fashion Week introduced captioned runway livestreams—moves that signal a broader shift (source: Variety). However, the Met Gala’s unique merger of haute couture and celebrity power amplifies the stakes. As Bode observed, “When you exclude one community, you diminish the event’s relevance on a global stage.”
Looking ahead, advocates recommend a comprehensive audit of venue accessibility, mandatory training for event staff on disability etiquette, and transparent reporting on inclusion metrics. Whether the Met Gala will take these steps remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: this critique has forced the fashion world to confront its exclusionary legacy.
Stay informed, stay critical, and keep watching how these high-profile events evolve in their treatment of all attendees.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
