An estimated 5.6 million Americans are living with a limb loss or limb difference, and if you ask Keith Parris, it’s their turn to have the spotlight. The beauty influencer reveals to So.Gay how he overcame the shame of being an amputee and put himself on the radar of some of the music industry’s biggest stars.
At the height of COVID, when social gatherings were essentially outlawed, Rihanna’s team slid into Keith Parris’ DMs. They wanted the beauty influencer to photograph himself using a new Fenty Beauty moisturizer. Their only request? Be yourself.
Parris worried about being too much and decided to keep it “PG and cute,” as he puts it. But the Fenty team wasn’t feeling the photos and told him to try again without holding back.
While on vacation with his former partner, Parris used the beach setting to photograph himself with the lotions, rocking his swimsuit and living his best life. Fenty’s team approved the shot for him to post and promote, but the golden cherry on top came when Rihanna reposted it on her page.
Unlike the plus-size body positivity that’s become synonymous with Fenty, Parris represented a new era of empowerment for amputees. Born with Tibial Hemimelia, he was missing a bone that would allow him to walk, leading doctors to amputate below his left knee.
Even before I sat down with Parris, it was obvious that nothing would stop him from being seen by the world. When I didn’t respond to his email quickly enough to schedule the interview, he reached out to me through Instagram, text, and even called a couple of times.
He wields a persistence that helped him overcome childhood bullying, launch a viral book on Wattpad, become a beauty influencer, host queer parties at clubs in New York, and even be gifted a special nickname and a few Rolexes by rapper Saweetie.
Parris prides himself on never gatekeeping his career, which includes sharing the highs and lows of his life with you, dear reader—exclusively for So.Gay.
Despite the confidence shown by his 130,000 TikTok followers, the 25-year-old once felt ashamed of who he was growing up, mostly due to mean-spirited rumors about why he was missing a leg.
While Parris’ peers gossiped about him having cancer, diabetes, being in a car crash, and even going to war—ignoring the fact that he was just a teenager—Parris felt he had to hide as much of himself as possible to be safe.
“I always used to hide my prosthetic because I just felt terrible about my disability,” he says. “I never owned a pair of shorts until I was like 16. I had to say to myself, ‘Who cares?’ My style was evolving, and I wanted to show who I was.”
Of course, gaining confidence was important for Parris in finding his purpose and happiness. But his life didn’t fully change until he bet on himself and his story, even if it felt like no one cared to listen. As cruel as the internet might sometimes be, he discovered it could also be a haven for people without a nearby community.
On the social storytelling platform Wattpad, Parris wrote about the bullying he faced and the obstacles that came with being an amputee. His story soon became a viral sensation, and eventually he DMed the link to Saweetie. She didn’t just read it but loved it.
“She was like, ‘your story just made me cry on set,’ and we started talking a lot on Twitter DMs,” says Parris. “I always give credit where credit is due, and she became like a big sister to me. I feel like she evolved my style and gave me so much confidence. I was going by “amputee warrior” on social media, and she told me to call myself ‘Icy Amputee Warrior’ and sent me a few Rolexes and jewelry.”
Saweetie’s use of “Icy” was quite meaningful, considering her debut single was “Icy Grl.”
Parris would go on to fully embrace himself and pursue his interest in beauty, which gradually gained him an impressive following. Fast-forward to a thriving career in the industry, he admits there’s still some struggles. Parris believes he doesn’t fit into the norms, if not demands of gay hookup culture. He says most guys expect raw sex or nada. It’s just not his style.
The influencer returned to dating after being engaged to his former partner, but he says real connection is hard to find. Though he considers himself a big flirt, many guys are either intimidated by his large following, his big personality, or, unfortunately, wouldn’t consider dating an amputee.
Still, being single has allowed him to focus more on himself and his goals, which now include hosting queer parties across New York’s club scene. According to Parris, living at home with his parents doesn’t help the situation.
“My mom doesn’t support me wearing makeup,” says Parris. “So, yeah, it’s hard to be myself in that household because, you know, she’s from the Caribbean. You know how it is—a lot of homophobia.”
Although he warns her never to enter his bedroom, and they’ll be “good,” he keeps hiding spots for his beauty products and sultry underwear. It’s a personal life that might surprise people due to Parris’ success, but he says New York’s housing market hasn’t enticed him to move yet. But he plans to sooner than later.
Ultimately, Parris hopes his visibility will inspire other amputees to step forward as influencers in whatever niches bring them joy. He has one person in mind—Kelvin S.—who is up-and-coming and, in Parris’ opinion, deserves a lot more attention.