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ABSTRACT Through comparative research, we examine how disabled digital social entrepreneurs, Alex Dacy and Jessica Kellgren‐Fozard, employ emotional engagement on Instagram to reshape perceptions of disability. Drawing on Ahmed's (2004) concept of affective economies, we analyse how affect is mobilised to foster audience engagement and cultivate digital communities. Through a visual narrative analysis of their top‐performing 2023 Instagram posts, we identify three key strategies— sidelining, stacking , and subverting disability —each positioning disability differently through affective circulations that shape how digital social entrepreneurs engage their audiences while navigating platform affordances. We contribute to digital social entrepreneurship and disability studies by highlighting the role of affect in digital advocacy and illustrating how social media structures disability representation and engagement.
Peticca-Harris et al. (2026) studied this question.