Media Representations: Disability Flashcards
What does Shakespeare say about the social construction of disability?
That disability should be seen as a social construct as it is only a problem due to societal attitudes, as we do not consider the needs or accommodate disabled people, leading to disablism/ableism where we do not consider the needs of those who do not fit into our idea of ‘normal’.
The media contribute to this, and represent disability as an individual problem rather than something created by society.
How are the disabled symbolically annihilated in the media?
Cumberbatch = disabled characters in TV 3x more likely than non-disabled to be dead by end of programme, as a result of violence. 2.5% of characters in fictional media.
Also, disabled people in the news = often related to cures/miracles rather than the people themselves.
Charity adverts = highly patronising, maintain negative stereotypes e.g children in need/oxfam.
Rarely asked to contribute on discussions which affect them e.g abortion / eugenics / genetic engineering.
How do the media represent disabilities negatively?
Briant et al = articles relating to disability label them ‘scroungers’, ‘cheats’ etc similar to WC.
Philo = mental health portrayed negatively, either as a threat or to laugh at. Although reps are bettering, the ‘psycho’, mad stereotype is still common.
What are some stereotypes that Barnes identifies as being pushed onto disabled people by the media?
The pitiable/pathetic, objects of curiosity, objects of violence, the sinister or evil, objects of ridicule, non-sexual, own worst enemy, burden, “super cripple”
