Descriptions:
In this episode of the What It’s Really Like podcast, I’m joined by actress, writer, and disability advocate Lolo Spencer for a candid conversation about identity, representation, dating, and life as a disabled woman in the entertainment industry.
We discuss intersectionality, Lolo’s experience as a Black disabled woman, navigating relationships and dating, breaking stereotypes around disability and sexuality, and her role on HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls. We also dive into acting, advocacy, accessibility in Hollywood, and the importance of authentic representation both on and off screen.
Whether you’re interested in disability advocacy, intersectionality, entertainment, dating, or representation in media, this conversation offers honest insights, plenty of laughs, and an important perspective that isn’t heard nearly enough.
Follow Lolo Spencer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itslolospencer/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itslolospencer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKhnl8iyRPa1TNJrMO-UN-Q
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itslolospencer
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@itslolospencer
Be sure to subscribe for more conversations about disability, accessibility, advocacy, beauty, fashion, relationships, and the experiences that shape our lives.
Chapters:
00:00 Lolo on finally feeling represented
00:44 Welcome Lolo Spencer
02:30 The early days of disabled creators online
05:04 How disability creators changed culture
09:20 Lolo’s childhood and creative family
11:38 The first signs something was changing
15:44 Getting diagnosed with ALS as a child
20:20 Searching for answers years later
26:58 Going from leg braces to a wheelchair
31:02 Noticing changes in your body over time
35:05 Internalized ableism and mobility aids
37:44 “I don’t need to be a martyr”
40:02 Hiring around your weaknesses
42:40 Dating, support, and disabled womanhood
47:17 Refusing to accept the bare minimum
50:10 Why disabled people deserve healthy love
56:06 Lolo’s 2023 injury and mental health spiral
01:02:10 When positivity stops working
01:06:52 Choosing entrepreneurship for control
01:10:52 Boundaries, social media, and private grief
01:12:41 When Lolo first felt represented
01:16:56 Authentic casting and disabled actors
01:19:50 Accessibility, Sinners, and disabled audiences
01:24:28 The problem with non-disabled actors playing disabled
01:30:05 Lolo on The Sex Lives of College Girls
01:31:10 What accessibility on set actually looks like
01:33:32 Asking to be seen, not hidden
01:38:30 Stand-ins, blocking, and disabled crew opportunities
01:40:14 Advocating for authenticity on set
01:45:42 Blackness, disability, and identity
01:50:04 The limits of shared disability trauma
01:55:54 The awkward question: intimacy as a wheelchair user
02:00:53 How disabled intimacy actually works
02:04:51 Where to follow Lolo
02:05:26 Closing thoughts
📚 ORDER MY MEMOIR: UNSEEN: How I Lost My Vision but Found My Voice — available now! Tap the link in bio to get your copy.
🐾 Support My GoFundMe for The Mira Foundation (guide dogs for the blind): https://gofund.me/5d8fc57f
🛍 Shop My Amazon Favorites: www.amazon.com/shop/mollyburke
(Find my go-to vision boarding book, motivational stickers, and more in the Health & Wellness section!)
🐝 Join the Killer Bee Club on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mollyburke
🎧 Listen to my audiobook “It’s Not What It Looks Like” on Audible: https://audible.com/mollyburke
📲 FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: @mollyburkeofficial
TikTok: @mollyburkeofficial
Twitter: @mollybofficial
Facebook: Molly Burke Official
🌐 Learn more about me: http://mollyburkeofficial.com
Hi! I’m Molly Burke — a fashion-loving, sushi-obsessed, makeup-wearing millennial who just so happens to be blind. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at 4 years old, I began public speaking at age 5 and haven’t stopped since. From motivational talks to modeling, I’m passionate about creating a more inclusive world for people with disabilities. Even though I can’t see, I believe there’s always a bright side — and I’m here to help you find it. 💕