Series looks at women in wheelchairs

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

In the opening moments of a new reality show, a pretty blonde pulls up to a gas station in her sporty Mustang. As she fills the tank, she catches the eye of a man across the station and smiles. Soon she drives away, waving to her admirer as she leaves.

Another Kardashian-style series? Not quite. Around her fueling and flirting, we also see the woman assembling a wheelchair, popping herself into it and then disassembling the chair before driving off.

The blonde is 28-year-old Tiphany Adams, one of the stars of “Push Girls,” a Sundance Channel reality series premiering Monday that takes viewers into the lives of four beautiful wheelchair-bound women.

All paralyzed through injury or illness, Adams and her three best friends — Mia Schaikewitz, 33, Auti Angel, 42, and Angela Rockwood, 36 — are shown navigating everyday challenges of all sizes, from putting on makeup to starting a family.

It’s an unprecedented look at the lives of disabled women, catheters and all, and either a new high or new low for reality TV.

“As a community, we say we want to be treated like everyone else. Well, everyone else has a reality show,” said Paul Tobin, president and chief executive of United Spinal Association, an advocacy organization for people with spinal-cord injuries. “These aren’t the ‘Mob Wives.’ ... My belief is that ‘Push Girls’ will help dispel preconceived notions by showing people living their lives and enjoying the same things as everyone else, just a little bit differently.”

The new series will have 14 episodes in its first season.