How I view the intersecting identities of ‘Wicked’
Let's have more conversations about diverse representation in productions
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There’s a character in the musical “Wicked” that I strongly relate to. She has the cutest slippers in the film, and her first day at Shiz University barely hints at the whirlwind of tragedies that await her.
Throughout the story, she spends much of her time trying to prove herself. All she genuinely wants is to be surrounded by people who love her. However, she consistently fails to put herself in other people’s shoes, leading to some questionable choices once she ascends to a powerful position in the Land of Oz.
If you know the story of “Wicked,” you might assume I’m talking about Nessarose (“Nessa”), the character who uses a wheelchair. Given that I have SMA, it probably seems like a no-brainer, right? But she’s not the character I relate to the most. It’s Glinda, who is not only nondisabled but also one of the more privileged characters in the story.
‘Pink goes good with green’
It’s a running joke between my best friend, Hannah, and me that we are what Elphaba and Glinda would look like if they were flipped. Hannah identifies much more with Elphaba’s viewpoints, personality, and aesthetic, even down to wearing quirky glasses as a child. On the other hand, I wanted every pink dress I could find, and I have somehow had the opportunity to meet high-profile politicians in my country on multiple occasions.
Nessa — and I say this with regret and a touch of sadness— isn’t even part of the conversation, whether we’re discussing the book, stage, or film version. It’s not that I don’t identify with Nessa at all. Frankly, I can see a part of myself in most of the characters. It’s just that I identify with Glinda the most. Apart from her alarmingly pink wardrobe, I see many of my best and worst traits reflected in her: her bubbliness, snobbishness, and obliviousness to things she may say or do to offend people; her melodrama; her comfort in the limelight; and her manipulative tendencies. Her unique kind of loneliness that persists despite being surrounded by crowds also resonates with me.
Furthermore, I’m at a point in my life where I no longer feel like much of an outcast. If anything, the success I’ve achieved in my career at times makes me feel disconnected from my SMA community.
“Wicked” serves as a reminder that we all have multiple intersecting identities. Both Glinda and Nessa come from privileged backgrounds and end up as politicians, making selfish decisions driven by their desire to be loved. On paper, they seem like mirror characters. Yet, Nessa’s disability isolates and marginalizes her, whereas Glinda doesn’t have to deal with that additional layer. Glinda even weaponizes pity surrounding Nessa’s disability to rid herself of Boq, a Munchkin who is infatuated with her.
But that doesn’t mean everyone with a disability, like myself, automatically identifies more with a disabled character simply because they share that experience. Factors such as personality, life circumstances, and our own racial or class privilege also come into play.
My hope is that the complexities of the characters of “Wicked” will spark more conversations about what diverse representation looks like. I don’t believe I’m the only person with SMA who feels a stronger affinity for Glinda or any other character rather than Nessa, for one reason or another. And I’m sure that many people working in disability advocacy are undoubtedly inspired by Elphaba’s “Defying Gravity.”
Who knows, maybe one day we’ll see a production of “Wicked” featuring multiple performers with disabilities. It might even prompt us to discover new perspectives within the text that we hadn’t seen before.
Trust me, like Glinda, I know — I know — exactly what we all need.
Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.
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