Jan. 8, 2024

Lights, Camera, Inclusion: The Urgent Need for Authentic Disability Representation in Entertainment

The conversation around representation often overlooks one of the world's largest marginalised groups: people with disabilities. Despite societal strides in embracing diversity, the disabled population remains vastly underrepresented in the entertainment industry. By: Wee Yan Ling

In the midst of a seismic shift propelled by the call for diversity, equity and inclusion, the disabled population often finds itself on the periphery of such crucial conversations. Despite the successful call for change in a myriad of other social issues, Hollywood still grapples with the stark underrepresentation of people with disabilities. As screens influence societal perceptions, the call for genuine disability representation is urgent and aids in dispelling stereotypes and fostering a deeper understanding on the topic. 

The spotlight on disability in recent times can be seen through films such as CODA, Sound of Metal, Crip Camp, and Feeling Through. These productions have featured actors with disabilities which takes a departure from the mainstream harmful stereotypes and gives us a look into the strides that have been made for inclusion.  

However, challenges still loom. Marlee Matlin, Oscar-winning actress from CODA had experienced a fair share of rejection of roles due to her deafness. The apprehensiveness and reluctance in the industry to include disabled actors resounds a prominent issue of limited exposure and depth of understanding, which perpetuates stigma and misconceptions. 

From the bigger picture, the lack of representation in the media has caused consequences which reinforces societal tendencies to isolate or conceal disabilities. To improve this, it is salient to incorporate characters with disabilities especially in children’s media to foster a culture of acceptance and understanding in their formative years. 

The disabled community advocates for the principal of, “Nothing about us without us.” This is monumental in storytelling as it emphasises on the need to involve those with direct experiences in both the creation and the portrayal of disabled characters. However, the reality is that more than 95% of television characters with disabilities are portrayed by non-disabled actors. 

Remarkable examples to note include titles such as Speechless, Special, Everything’s Going to be Okay as it tears away from the trend. These productions have deliberately hired actors and creators with disabilities to offer genuine portrayals. The lead characters in Speechless and Special have Cerebral Palsy and Everything’s Going to be Okay features a lead character with Autism Spectrum Disorder which is played by an actress with the same condition. The impact of such films originates from the authentic portrayal from the actors who possess similar experiences as the characters they are portraying. This helps to go against the conventional industry norms and help them to gain recognition for their hard work. 

As we enter the transformative phrase, the rallying cry for authentic disability representation remains and urges the industry to not only embrace diversity but to celebrate the richness and authentic inclusion that grace our screens and society. 

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