The Power of Representation: How Media Shapes Perceptions of Disability 

The media has a significant influence on all of us in some ways. Our interactions and responses to things are greatly influenced by what we watch, see or hear on the various media platforms. We see a trending fashion style, we want to try it out. We view a trending TikTok challenge, we jump on it. While watching an advertisement, we often find ourselves drawn to the product being displayed and develop a desire to own it. We have also been triggered to believe that if something appears on the news, then it’s true. To this end, it would not be wrong to say that the media has a strong influence on how we view and interact with people with disabilities (PWD).

It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that around 1.3 billion people across the world have some form of disability. However, these individuals are often misrepresented and stereotyped, which can have a negative impact on their lives. Included in this number are children with disabilities who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of stereotypes, as they may develop the belief that they are always dependent on others. This can lead to feelings of low self-esteem and an inferiority complex, which in turn may cause them to withdraw from socializing with their peers. Moreover, children with disabilities often face a lack of resources and opportunities, which makes it difficult for them to meet the standards of society dictated by those with no disabilities.

Disability Myths and Stereotypes

Children with disabilities are exposed to different stereotypes and myths, which affects how they interact with their peers. Some of these myths and stereotypes are:

1. Children with disabilities are a tragedy for themselves and their families: Children with disabilities are often perceived as a burden to their families, requiring constant care and attention. Many people feel sympathy towards these families and view the situation as tragic. However, if children with disabilities are provided with the necessary resources and support, they can thrive and lead fulfilling lives. It’s important to move beyond pity and focus on providing these children with the tools they need to succeed.

2. Children with disabilities have limited abilities and low intelligence: It is a common misconception that one’s intelligence quotient (IQ) is solely determined by their ability. However, the truth is that one’s ability does not equate to high IQ. Studies have shown that a person’s ability is not set in stone and can be improved over time through education and perseverance.

3. People with intellectual disabilities are violent: In many movies and books, the backstory of the villain is often linked with a mental illness, which ultimately leads them to violence. For instance, the Joker, a nemesis of Batman is believed to have Schizophrenia which led him to becoming a villain. These movies and books tend to unconsciously and unintentionally reinforce the perception that people with disabilities are prone to violence.

4. People with disabilities are sick and in constant pain: There’s a common misconception that people with disabilities are always sick, in pain and in need of help, even when they have not asked for it, which leads to unnecessary offers of help. One of the reasons people think like this is often rooted in the way people with disabilities are portrayed in media, medical ads. People have come to associate disability with illness and pain.

Ways Media Can Help Fight Stereotypes

The media has a great influence on how people with disabilities (PWD) are viewed, as research shows that people get most of their information about disability from the media (Wahl, 2004). For diversity and inclusion, the media has a responsibility to improve the way people with disabilities (PWD) are represented. There are multiple ways to achieve this, which include:

● Writers and movie producers should do thorough research:

It is wrong to make assumptions when writing a book or producing a movie. Writers and movie producers should avoid making assumptions especially when portraying communities like people with disabilities. It would be scoring a cheap point and looking for an easy way out when writers make assumptions in their work. If the work does put the PWD community in the wrong light because the writer did not do thorough research, that work would lose its relevance to them.

● Provide training to employees on how to relate to people with disabilities:

Media employees most often do not know how to relate to PWD and find themselves saying words that PWD finds offensive. It is only right for media institutions to provide training to their employees on how to interact with people with disabilities during a media interview and the appropriate words to use when making a report on PWD.

● Stories and movies should include people with disabilities in active roles:

Most times, in movies, PWD are often given roles where the main actor, who is usually a person with no disability, becomes their savior or helper. Instead, PWD should be given active roles like in the film A Quiet Place, where Reagan’s hard of hearing led the members of the family to learn American Sign Language (ASL), which played a vital role in their survival. Another awesome thing about this movie is that Reagan was treated like a normal child without sympathetic displays, and of course, Reagan’s character was played by an actress with hearing impairment.

● Barrier-free access to information:

Everyone has a right to access information, including children with disabilities, and denying them access to this information because a media institution does not think it is necessary is wrong. There are ways to make information accessible to PWD, which include but are not limited to:

● Making use of plain and simple language.

● Using captions and subtitles.

● Providing information in braille.

● Making websites accessible.

● Using sign language interpretation.

To do away with any stereotype or bias, we need to acknowledge the fact that it does exist and that we are biased. That is one step toward fighting discrimination against persons with disabilities. Provide the right resources they need, which is also of benefit to people with no disabilities. Talk about screen readers, audiobooks, or even the subtitles in videos, or the ramp, which most persons with no disability find easier and more convenient to use than the stairs. Without these discriminations, we can see a more balanced society and persons with disabilities can find themselves, improve their self-esteem, thrive and play their part in the world.

 

 

Written by

Obika Viola Onyedikachi

Content writer, RSAF