Research task

From the margins to the mainstream? Disability, identity and the media. 

Kathy Oborne, April 2015. 

I have chosen this article as it discusses the issues surrounding disability and how it is represented in the media today compared to the way it was represented in the past. This article discusses the stereotypes surrounding disability and how these have changed and altered over time.

Oborne says that there are many negative stereotypes surrounding disability such as the pathetic victim, evil villain or super human overcoming incredible odds.

The stereotype of a evil villain and disability is shown through DR. Curt Connors in The Amazing Spiderman, as he has only one arm and injects himself with a substance that enables him to grow his arm back. However this is faulty and he becomes a lizard that destroys the city and is Superman's next villain to take down. This suggests that they will stop at nothing to get what they lost back even if this means hurting others which creates a very negative stereotype of people with a disability and has many negative connotations.

Oborne states that the mainstream have been excluded for the mainstream media for quite some time, this is due to the fact they are different from the norm and viewed differently by society. However society is changing she as Oborne says "the representations of people with a disability have started to reflect a more inclusive society" this suggests that over time people with disability have been in some ways ignored and now as society has changed a light has been shined on them in a new and positive manner.

Oborne uses the example of Meet The Superhumans to represent the changes in society and how opinions of disabled people have changes. Meet The Superhumans was a 90 second short film broadcast to 78 channel including all channel 4's networks, ITV1, Five, Sky One, Eurosport and all of UKTV's channels. In this short films "disabilities visible, but no focused on - instead, the advert emphasises their dedication" this shows that in this society opinion is based more on your ability and will to do something rather than how you do it, no one looks down their nose at you if you are at a disadvantage but they look at the hard work you put in and the willingness to do something as that is much more important that the physical or mental condition. Oborne says this is shown through a "figure in silhouette walking towards a dawn training session".

Channel 4 have said they wanted to show the ' herculean effort' this shows that they put in so much effort that it could be considered godly and this is what we now focus on not the disability but the efforts and the time they spend working for something they really want. There is also a large emotional impact of this short film as we see how these people because disabled such as a bomb going off at war and car crash. It was seen that the short film appealed to both able-bodied and disabled viewers.

Many disabled people were trilled that light was being shone on them in a positive way and wanted many people to get involved as it was seen as admirable. However many were not happy with the language used:
Cari Watrous, Inclusion.com comments board
"Like others I am uncomfortable with ‘superhumans’... it’s that same old tired hero or victim paradigm. Why can’t they just be athletes? Talented focused hard-working athletes."

As time has gone on it is evident that disability is becoming increasingly big in mainstream media such as Channel 4’s Paralympic comedy spin-off, The Last Leg (hosted by two disabled and one able-bodied presenter). Adam Hills and Alex Brooker are amputees who have one leg each whereas Josh Widdecombe is not not disabled.  

Other media that display disability. 

Glee - Artie is paralysed from the waist down and in a wheelchair. Although Artie is pitied at the start of the show he becomes more confident and outgoing. He begins to date a cheerleader and the glee club dedicate a whole show to him and also other people in his condition while performing a song dancing in wheelchairs.

Although the actor is not disabled and this did raise a lot of controversy with disabled people and fans of the show it is clear to see there will always be this conflict but it is evident that he plays the roll well and treats the disability with the respect it deserves. Kevin McHale, the actor who plays Artie, has defended the show saying that it is the same as a straight actor playing a gay character.