Hi this is Lauren Nissenbaum and my topic is the Portrayal of Disabilities in the Media.
Since film emerged in the early 1900's, it has provided viewers with a relatively accurate
idea of societal norms and attitudes.
Initially, the depiction of people with disabilities in film was based on the prevalent ideas in
society regarding pop culture of that time period.
The representation of disability, regardless of positive or negative, differs between genres.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), the main character was depicted as so angry and
frustrated by his disability that he separated himself from society.
He continuously seeks revenge but other characters in the film look at him with disgust or pity.
Also the movie, Of Mice and Men (1939) depicted Lenny, one of the main characters with developmental
disabilities, to be violent and aggressive.
The genre of comedy tends to be the most exclusive usage for disability as a source for humor
and comic relief.
A term known as "slapstick humor," is oftentimes presented in comedic films with
disabilities.
For example, movies like Dumb and Dumber (1994) and The Ringer (2005) portray characters with
developmental disabilities, even though the actors are not disabled in reality.
Therefore, their acting comes off as highly stereotypical and what most audiences find
"humorous" due to the over-the-top jokes and exaggerated physical comedic activity
such as clumsiness or inappropriate comments.
One of the models of disability correlates with this topic of media portrayal of people
with disabilities.
This is known as the medical model of disability.
It is evident that the media has concentrated on depicting disability through the idea of
the medical model of disability.
This is the idea that disabled individuals' inability to function and interact in normal
daily life is a direct outcome of their physical and/or mental impairment.
However, since the 1970's, there has been discussion from the disabled community for
society and the media to acknowledge disabled individuals as equals to non-disabled individuals,
and to be accountable for society's contribution to creating disabling environments – such
as, the negative stereotypes developed over time and the inaccessibility and exclusion
of disabled individuals due to lack of knowledge or insight on the disabled population.
This model focuses on the lack of physical, mental, and sensory functioning.
This model depicts a dehumanizing view, where only the severity and the essence of the impairment
are significant.
Basically, this model categorizes and illustrates disabled individuals only by their impairment,
making it seem as though they are considered the victim or the problem.
According to the 2003 Multinational Study of Attitudes toward Individuals with Intellectual
Disabilities, more than 80 percent of the U.S. adults surveyed felt that media portrayals
were an obstacle to the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
As an avid fan of Breaking Bad, the main character's son has Cerebral Palsy.
The actor that plays his son, RJ Mitte, has Cerbral Palsy in real life.
However, Mitte's character on the show relied on forearm crutches.
I later learned that Mitte does not have to use any walking device in real life and Mitte
had to actually learn to slur his speech in order to create a more dramatic form of his
own disability.
While Mitte is a celebrity ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy, it is disheartening
to know that he had to act more disabled for the show in order for viewers to feel sorry
for him and give the Breaking Bad background story more substance.
While the media can be a great way to raise awareness about disabilities and rid society
of stigma and assumptions, it is evident that it can negatively stereotype individuals with
disabilities and misrepresent them.
Oftentimes persons with disabilities are portrayed in media as overcoming obstacles or tragedies.
For example, the movie Temple Grandin (2010), provides viewers with a visual biography of
Grandin's life.
However, Claire Danes portrays the character, as she is a non-disabled actress in real life.
So while the movie received great reviews and was inspiring, we still see a non-disabled
person representing a disabled person.
In this case, Claire Danes pretends to be autistic like Grandin, portraying different
autistic behaviors.
Regardless of the accuracy of those behaviors presented, this can be offensive to persons
with disabilities as well as family members that have a disabled relative.
As mentioned, it is a tricky and challenging topic to discuss because of its positive and
inspirational message in the Grandin film, but again, the idea that a non-disabled person
can behave as a disabled person is somewhat unfair and disappointing.
Another film that's remained popular for years is What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993),
where Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Arnie, is developmentally disabled.
Even in the very beginning of the movie, we see him climb up a water tower and run away
from the police.
We also see him express fears of bathing, where he screams and cries because he does
not want to take a bath.
He also has trouble making eye contact, often runs away, hits his head quite frequently,
and has difficulty recalling information.
While the depiction and behaviors portrayed in this film are accurate for a person with
developmental disabilities, it still shows the ill-representation of a disabled person
with a non-disabled actor.
So why is this so important to discuss?
Media is one of the most popular forms of connection in our society today, as it has
remained for decades.
However, the representation of persons with disabilties has been less than ideal.
For years, the portrayal of disability in the media has depicted the concept of disability
to be shameful, pitiful, challenging, frustrating, embarrassing, disappointing, etc.
We also see empowering movies like Forrest Gump (1994), where Forrest faces certain obstacles
in his life despite his disability, and over time becomes more independent and inspirational.
However once again, Forrest is played by Tom Hanks, who is a non-disabled actor.
So really, the whole concept of these disability portrayals somewhat taint the message that
the media is trying to convey to its viewers.
What I understand, is that disabilities in the media are inspirational and show the struggles
and successes of these individuals, but in order to produce a great film, the media decides
it's better off to have non-disabled actors play these disabled characters and fake these
behaviors and social cues, hitting, screaming, slurred speech, etc.
That's ok to show in the media, but where is the actual representation of persons with
disabilities?
What is this underlying fear rooted in society that disabled individuals cannot achieve their
goals or become famous?
Why do we need able-bodied, non-disabled actors to constantly portray mostly true stories
or based on true events that actually have nothing to do with them except that they're
good actors.
Just because these media portrayals of disabilities are accurate or heart-wrenching, doesn't
mean it's impactful to society.
What really needs to be done is to raise awareness of persons with disabilities, treat them with
the same respect we do with our beloved non-disabled celebrities, and really give them the proper
representation they deserve because they are no less or worse than able-bodied, non-disabled
individuals.
I know I'm not the only one who's bothered when I see a movie with a non-disabled actor
representing a disabled character.
Whether these media portrayals are inspirational and empowering, it takes away from the actual
purpose of those with disabilities and that needs to be recognized.
Thank you.
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