Janina Strauss; Julia Schoorlemmer; Paulina Mund; Maxime Kuipers; and Aida Niskala
Note: Throughout the writing of the Representation of Disabilities in Popular Culture we maintained a strong focus on the correct use of wording and terminology. All parts have been written with the utmost attention to be as objective and inclusive as possible, however there is no guarantee that the language and images being used do not come across as potentially triggering and offensive. Certain terminology is used to showcase how perceptions on disabilities evolve over time.
Definitions
Why Representation Matters
As with many other aspects of social identity, i.e., gender, race, ethnicity, religion, class, etc. the way that disability is represented is important. Some progress has been made towards equity in terms of representation (who is represented and how).
One example of this is the Disney movie, Zootopia, which addressed the topics of racism, discrimination, bullying, police brutality and gender equality. This is a small step towards more equitable and diverse representations in popular culture as children are increasingly influenced by popular culture from a very early age, though social media and Disney and Pixar movies and shows (Hayday, 2019). Popular culture shapes our thoughts and opinions more than ever before.
Critical thinking and media literacy are often not taught in school or talked about at home, and often (young) people do not question the media they watch, listen to and read. Furthermore, through social media, inaccurate or incomplete representation spreads quicker than ever on the internet, through memes, videos and articles, as one no longer must state the source of their claims, but one tends to just believe what they read online.
Representation influences our views and perceptions of ourselves and of others. More accurate, diverse and equitable portrayals might help to dissolve the stigma around what it means to have a disability. “Popular culture has been problematic in their portrayal of people with disabilities beyond fictional characters in movies” (McDevitt, 2020). McDevitt argues that filmmakers casting white or cisgender actors to portray characters of color, or able-bodied actors to represent people with disabilities is just one of the problems relating to representation. Furthermore, being represented in popular culture gives us a feeling of belonging and this is a crucial element of an inclusive society.
For the purposes of this chapter, defining a disability is not about a ‘condition’ itself, but rather what effect or impact it has on daily life (Berg, 2020). Individuals are considered to be disabled whenever they are constrained in their ability to perform activities independently. In this chapter, we are considering physical disabilities as well as mental disorders.
Popular culture relates to media that appeals to a substantial number of people and that is typically delivered through music, film, art, books, dance, drama, fashion, television, social media, radio/podcasts, websites and videos. It is important to state the fact that this chapter is based on Euro-centric approaches to popular culture.
