Stephen Hawking, widely regarded as one of the greatest minds to have ever lived, has died at the age of 76.

Everyone from prime ministers to professors, astronauts to actors, are paying tribute to the theoretical physicist, celebrating his brilliance, resilience and the countless triumphs of his remarkable life.

Wonder Woman actor Gal Gadot shared her own eulogy to Hawking, claiming that he is now "free of any physical restraints".

Rest in peace Dr. Hawking. Now you're free of any physical constraints.. Your brilliance and wisdom will be cherished forever ✨ pic.twitter.com/EQzSxqNTuN — Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) March 14, 2018

Many people on Twitter are saying Gadot's tweet is ableist, a term to describe discrimination or prejudice against people who are disabled.

Hawking lived with significant disabilities caused by motor neurone disease (MND), which required him to use a wheelchair and a speech synthesiser.

I think you’re fantastic Gal but this tweet is very ableist. His physical constraints didn’t stop him from changing the world. People with disabilities don’t wish for death to be free of their challenges. We wish to be valued for what we CAN do, not pitied for we can’t. — Adam B. Zimmerman (@ABZimm) March 14, 2018

Stop what? One would never say someone is freed by death from being a certain race, or gender or religion so why is it acceptable to imply death frees someone who achieved greatness while happening to have a disability? — Adam B. Zimmerman (@ABZimm) March 14, 2018

No, I understood her point perfectly. And I don’t believe there was any maliciousness intended. But as a disability advocate it is my responsibility to call out ableist language and educate others. — Adam B. Zimmerman (@ABZimm) March 15, 2018

Gal I am chronically ill. Can't shower or even get myself out of bed. Lost 18 years thus far. But I ran a charity funding research for my illness #ME and advocate for Change. All from my bed. Is my life not important? Disablement is not shameful, bigotry is. Watch @unrestfilm pls — amara campbell (@amaracampbell) March 14, 2018

So what we're NOT gonna do is talk about Stephen Hawking's disability like it was a tragedy. Because it wasn't. Disabilities are not tragedies. Abled people can go away. https://t.co/e1PB6TB79F — Ophelia Brown (@bandaidknees) March 14, 2018

Critics of the tweet say that, for Hawking, death was a far greater physical constraint than his disability.

Hawking told The Guardian in 2011:

I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.

Note to cartoonists: Stephen Hawking was an atheist who said the afterlife was a fairy tale for people afraid of the dark. — Martin Belam (@MartinBelam) March 14, 2018

The actor is not the only one to insinuate that Hawking is now 'free' from his wheelchair. Some cartoons paying tribute show him standing up, as if only now finally able to truly explore the universe.

Seeing folks say that Stephen Hawking is free of his disability is gross. It is also A direct result of ableism and the media representation of disability where we should long to hate and be free of disability. — Keah Brown (@Keah_Maria) March 14, 2018

If some of you talk about me the way you are talking about Stephen Hawking when I die I shall come back to haunt you all, please stop with the ableist ‘he overcame his disability’ talk 🙃 he did everything *with* his disability, not *despite* it — Shona (@shonalouiseblog) March 14, 2018

Pro-tip to journalists:



Stephen Hawking *used* a wheelchair. He is the active person in the arrangement. The wheelchair helped him do things. It did not bind him. — Alexandra Erin (@alexandraerin) March 14, 2018

The odds weren't against a disabled person achieving what Stephen Hawking did.



They were against ANYONE achieving what Stephen Hawking did.



We really need to stop referring to disability and success/achievement as if they're somehow diametrically opposed. https://t.co/dRdZyS6Yis — Diana Crow (@CatalyticRxn) March 14, 2018

Others defended Gadot's tweet.

I don't see this as ableism hmmm 🤔 https://t.co/VUiB0bI0CF — ᴬᵃʳᵒⁿ ᴿᵒᵈʳⁱᵍᵘᵉᶻ (@TheIronPat) March 15, 2018

How on earth do you interpret this tweet as her saying that one‘s life is not important if you‘re disabled ? I‘m sorry, it is common belief that one of is free of pain and illness after death, that’s what her tweet said — Rachel @LBM18 (@Livenitup_DE) March 14, 2018

This world is way too politically correct! It's a beautiful tweet, Gal. If we choose to argue about everything people say, no one will say anything at all for fear of exactly this. — Dorian Louis (@DorianLouis1847) March 15, 2018

Classy Tribute to a man who broke the mold. Proved everyone wrong in so many ways. #legend — Lawrence Fairweather (@fairs84) March 14, 2018

Chris James, Director of External Affairs at the Motor Neurone Disease Association said:

Professor Stephen Hawking had an extraordinary life and was able to continue his research throughout his illness. He achieved so much in his lifetime and never allowed himself to be defined by motor neurone disease (MND). His approach to life with MND is an example to all of us.

More: Gal Gadot’s non-response to James Cameron's bad 'Wonder Woman' take was the perfect answer