At just six years old, Thalia Coultas has been through a lot.
However, despite being born with just one arm, she’s taking the fashion industry by storm as a model for major brands.
Stay-at-home mum Kerrie Coultas, 39, from Selby, Yorkshire, was told at twenty weeks pregnant that her daughter would be born missing her left arm.
Shocked and searching for answers, the family would never find out what caused their baby’s limb difference.
Born a congenital amputee – a person born missing a limb or part of a limb – Thalia’s condition affects around one in 2,000 babies born every year.
Growing up, she quickly learnt ways to navigate her world with only one arm, but initially struggled to complete tasks that abled people take for granted, like putting clothes on.
Although they maintain a positive spirit, Thalia and Kerrie have become used to other children (and their parents) staring, with some even asking what’s ‘wrong’ with her.
They’re hoping greater media representation will help people become more familiar with – and less judgemental of – disabilities.
Thalia’s career began in August 2020 when she was five, when the family was approached by a woman who ran Zebedee Management – a talent agency known for representing a diverse range of abled and disabled models and actors.
Confident and excitable, she quickly took to modelling, and has now worked with retail giants including the Early Learning Centre and JD Sports. She’s also in the process of filming a children’s TV show, but details are under wraps until it airs.
‘Thalia says that modelling makes her feel good, and she loves it,’ said mum Kerrie.
‘She’s always asking me when her next job is happening, and she shines when she’s on set. Thalia loves fashion and will never allow anyone to tell her that she can’t wear something because of her arm.’
When asked what her favourite part of modelling is, Thalia says ‘everything’, and she’s expressed an interest in further acting opportunities in the future.
Alongside the fun of posing during shoots, there’s an importance to the work Thalia is doing in normalising different bodies in media and breaking down stereotypes.
Kerrie said: ‘Young kids who meet Thalia for the first time are generally very interested in finding out what happened to her.
‘Some will point a lot and even try to grab her arm to inspect it and surprisingly many parents do not react well to their own children’s curiosity.
‘Luckily Thalia is very tolerant and will willingly answer questions they have. We have had some rude encounters over the years and many people who stare for far too long that you could probably draw a portrait of them.
‘One encounter that stands out was a mother asking what was “wrong” with my daughter – she may have meant well, however there was nothing “wrong” with my daughter and she did not word her question in a polite way at all.’
Despite the fact that one fifth of the population has a registered disability, just 0.06% are shown in adverts.
Mum Kerrie thinks of her daughter as ‘an advocate for limb difference’, adding: ‘She’s proving that we can all have dreams, and they can be a reality for any of us – regardless of how we look or any disability we might have.’
As well as helping society as a whole become more inclusive, she believes Thalia can help empower other children who don’t feel that they’re represented.
She said: ‘It’s extremely important for people without disabilities to see all types of society portrayed and in positive roles, not outdated negative stereotypes.
‘We hope that diversity will continue to break through, and that every child will be able to look up to someone that looks like they do.’
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