‘I Wish I Was Special’: NCDA Calls Out the One Wish Willow Trend That Mocks PWDs

(SPOT.ph) It’s been weeks since the world was consumed by the blockbuster horror Obsession. But just like the story itself, one trend inspired by the movie has taken a dark, twisted turn—and caught the attention of the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

In Obsession, the main character Bear uses a “One Wish Willow” novelty gift item to wish that Nikki, his childhood friend and crush, would love him more than anyone else. The wish is granted, but Nikki's affection becomes obsessive, violent, and increasingly supernatural. That scene later became a trend on TikTok, with creators recreating it but instead using the line “I wish I was special.” It would’ve been perfectly fine if left at that, except the trend took a nastier turn as some users began using the phrase to mimic physical and developmental disabilities. 

The NCDA has since filed a formal complaint and warned the public against participating in the trend.

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In an official advisory released on Facebook, the NCDA raised concerns over the “One Wish Willow” trend circulating across video-sharing platforms, specifically the ones that mimic individuals with disabilities. The statement added, “This trend misuses the phrase ‘I wish I was special’ to ridicule serious conditions for entertainment, which is deeply disrespectful and dehumanizing.”

According to the council, they have already reported the trend to TikTok in hopes of enforcing community guidelines and taking down offending videos. The Philippine law is also on their side; the NCDA said:

• RA 9442 (Amendment to the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability): Section 39 strictly prohibits public ridicule, mocking, or intimidation of PWDs across any media platform. The law explicitly bans acts that target and damage the self-esteem of the PWD community.

• RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012): This law addresses offenses committed online, including identity theft and defamation. Content creators could face criminal charges if their videos involve digitally impersonating or targeting a specific individual with a disability.

It can be easy to jump from trend to trend without thinking too deeply about the content we put out. But this is a timely reminder, as NCDA said, to be responsible social media users and “share uplifting and positive content about persons with disabilities.”

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