Media representations of gender, sexuality and disability Flashcards
Disability - Barnes (1992)
- Pitiable & pathetic
- Sinister & evil
- Atmospheric or curio
- Super-cripples
- Sexually abnormal
- Incapable of participating fully in community life
Disability - Pluralists
- Media representations of disabled reflect dominant medical view that disability is dysfunctional for both individual and society.
- These representations mirror social anxieties about impairment.
Disability - Shakespeare (1999)
- Argues media stereotypes of disabled on TV & film are ‘crude, one dimensional & simplistic’ - use of disability as character etc is a lazy shortcut.
Disability - Williams-Findlay (2009)
- Examined output of two broadsheet newspapers - Guardian, Times.
- Steep decline in use of stereotypical words such as ‘brave’ bur agues still negative and stereotypical representations of disabled were still both present in newspapers as journalists sill assumed that disability was tragic.
Criticism of Barnes
Citizen journalism and new media has allowed for a more positive representation such as Rose Ayling-Ellis, a deaf actress who Strictly in 2021 through her silence dance performance.
Criticism of Pluralists
Also reflect societies admiration of ‘courage’ shown by some disabled individuals, especially if they are young.
Tilley Lockley, a teen with bionic arms, is admired for her courage and confidence.
Criticism of Shakespeare
Reinforces negative stereotypes leading to discrimination and exclusion.
The 2020 film ‘Music’ reinforced negative stereotypes about autism by casting a neurotypical actress in alas role.
Criticism of Williams-Findlay
Watson, Philo & Briant (2011) argue the representation is changing as there is an increase in visibility of disabled voices in journalism is challenging outdated narratives.
