A Viral World Down Syndrome Day ad challenges stereotypes: ‘Assume I can drink a margarita’

The ad starts with model and actor Madison Tevlin addressing a bartender.

“Hey bartender, you assume that I can’t drink a margarita so you don’t serve me a margarita so I don’t drink a margarita,” she said in the video. “Your assumption becomes reality.”

Tevlin, 22, who has Down syndrome is the face of a new campaign challenging people to confront the way they think about people with Down syndrome.

The ad — produced by CoorDown and Small New York in association with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and other organizations — was created in honor of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21.

As it goes on, Tevlin addresses other stereotypes that persist, including the idea that people with Down syndrome cannot live independently.

“Parents, you assume that I cannot live on my own, so you don’t encourage me to live on my own,” she says.

Marta Sodano, an Italian woman with Down syndrome, partially inspired the campaign after she spoke at the World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations, according to a NDSS press release. CoorDown, an Italian organization, leads the “Assume That I Can” campaign.

“I discovered that in psychology there is a concept called ‘self-fulfilling prophecy,’ whereby a teacher who thinks that a student cannot understand would just act accordingly and therefore would not teach the student. And there you go: the prophecy self-fulfills,” she said. “In my opinion, there are not difficult or easy concepts, there is always a simple way to explain things. If I think of all the things that were not explained and taught to me, well I get really angry.”

Since its viral release on March 15, the ad has already shifted some perspectives, Kandi Pickard, the president, and CEO of NDSS, tells TODAY.com.

“The whole point of this video is to end those stereotypes of people living with Down syndrome,” she tells TODAY.com. “Many times, people with disabilities are presumed to be unable to care for themselves or unable to make their own decisions and that’s not the case.”

The ad also highlights that people with Down syndrome aren’t a monolith. Their wants, needs and abilities vary just like any other person.

“This video is opening up these conversations in such a healthy way for public to see not only the beauty but the ability of people with Down syndrome,” Pickard says. “This is what we do as an organization day in and day out. We want to shift the public perception of Down syndrome.”

Stereotypes about people with Down syndrome limit what they can achieve. When Tommy and Maryanne Pilling — who both have Down syndrome — fell in love three decades ago, many people criticized their families for allowing them to marry. But Maryanne Pilling’s family encouraged them and they were married for 25 years until Tommy Pilling passed away in 2020, TODAY.com previously reported.

“My mum has been 100% supportive,” Maryanne Pilling’s sister Lindi Newman, shared with TODAY.com in 2017. “Anyone should have the right to marry the love of their life without prejudice or discrimination.”

Defying assumption also helped Chris Nikic become the first person with Down syndrome to finish an Ironman. His dad, Nik Nikic, recalls how when Chris Nikic was young all they heard were negatives.

“When your child is born with Down syndrome everyone tells you what they can’t do and how tough it is going to be. … Chris is going to prove if he can do an Ironman and he can do anything else,” Nik Nikic told TODAY.com in 2020. “Being first opens a lot of doors for him and people like him.”

And, Chris Nikic likes being a role model. “Parents are reaching out saying I am a hero to their kids,” he told TODAY.com in 2020. “It’s pretty awesome.”

Many people on social media appreciate how the "Assume That I Can" video encouraged them to confront their biases about Down syndrome.

“Being an older sister of a DS person. I am guilty of treating my sister this way sometimes,” one person shared on Instagram. “But don’t worry, she sets me straight.”

Another person wrote on Instagram: “I just posted something today regarding doubting my son’s capabilities sometimes and this is such a great way to redirect our way of thinking, even as parents. Thank you for such a wonderful video.”

The ad includes other things that people with Down syndrome can do, such as swearing and having sex, and some people online have called it out with one user saying it is “crass.” But another Instagram user notes this reaction is why the ad is needed.

“The pearl clutching in these comments is exactly why this video needs to exist. The fact that people feel empowered to tell this intelligent, capable, GROWN woman how she needs to deliver her message proves the message’s entire point.”

Pickard says by far most of the feedback is positive and adds that swearing, drinking and sex are “normal things” in life for most people.

“They’re going to be going to college and there’s an opportunity to go to the bar and have a drink. They want to live on their own. They want to do these things,” Pickard added. She's a mom of three, including a 12-year-old with Down syndrome. “For some families it’s hard to look past that disability and really to be able to see sometimes the opportunities that are out there.”

On TikTok, many are saying they’re surprised they watched the entire advertisement. “I can’t remember the last time I willing sat through a long ad before,” one person shared. “This was great.”

Another wrote, “Damn she even made me feel empowered. This is probably the best awareness campaign ad I’ve ever seen for anything.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com