Disabled people representation

Today, I am looking at how disabled people are represented in the media.

In 'Disability on Screen', disabled people in the media have helped people understand disabled people further and how to interact with them. However, it wasn't until 1992 that a disabled actor was used in a British TV show; who understands their disability more than an able person. In todays day and age, able-bodied actors are much more represented, but the disabled fight to tell their stories.

In 'Women, old and disabled under-represented', it is said that the most popular TV shows do not include disabled people in them with a somewhat important role. It also says that only 2.5% of people in British TV shows are disabled; showing their lack of representation and minority. Representatives from these channels have said that they cannot capture all elements of society within their programs.

In 'Ricky Gervais and disabled actors', it talks about the lack of representation of disabled people in the media; the ones that are in the media are often crippled or a burden. This makes them look much weaker than some may be. It also comments on the fact that able people are used for advertisements and modelling, and how it is unfair.

In 'Media Representation of Disabled People', it says that the media is very critical of the disabled group of people, and often discriminates them. As the media represents our thoughts and opinions on groups of people, it makes us thing that the disabled are vulnerable and haven't the capacity to function on their own.

Overall, disabled people are underestimated, and are often over exaggerated in their problems. They appear to only work well with a carer, and cannot be represented anywhere in the media in a positive fashion.

This can be represented in our film in negative way as the killer has a disability; counter-typing the stereotypical disabled person representation of being weak and helpless. This also leads to little amounts of people believing the witness that the disabled was a murderer; representing that disabled are over-protected. However, it is also out of the disabled persons' control due to the disability.