Representation of Disableds

Representation of Disableds.

 Film/TV represents disabled people as being not normal physically, or mentally.

Disability is seen as an impairment of the body or mind, caused by the long-term non-functioning of a physical or mental body part.

Common representations:

- Struggling to overcome the impairment

- Finding a cure

- Being an object of pity

- Being a passive victim

- Having a chip on his or her shoulder and becoming an evil, aggressive avenger

The view of disability is known as the ‘mental model’ of thinking.

The Medical Model:

The Social Model:

There is an alternative 'social model' which considers disability to be the organisational, environmental, social and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with impairments being included in society.

This 'social model' view is rarely seen in moving image media, but disability characters are campaigning for change and 'groundbreaking' representations of disability (within the social model) are on the increase.

Freud Psychoanalysis:

- Disabled people are seen as chilling, dependant and underdeveloped

- Punished by being excluded from ordinary life

- People who are imperfect, helpless, disgusting, shitty, dribbling - a threat to rigid ego boundaries

- Strict rules of decorum involving standards of privacy, decency and dignity effect a representation

- Images of disability which cause unpleasure to the self simply by representing that expelling as already complete

- We become literally alienated from (and cannot identify with) the object/person we observe

Stereotypes:

There are two main stereotypes of disabled people (Barnes 1992)

1) Pitiable and pathetic, sweet and innocent; a miracle cure. For example, The Elephant Man

2) Victim of an object of violence. For example, Dr Al Robbins - CSI

3) Sinister or evil. For example Dr No.

4) Atmosphere - curious or exotica in 'freak shows', and in comics, horror movies and science fiction. For example, Freaks

5) 'Super-crip'/Triumph over tragedy/noble warrior. For example Xavier, X-Men

6) Laughable or the butt of jokes. For example, Joe Swanson, Family Guy

7) Having a chip on their shoulder/aggressive avenger. For example, 

8) A burden/outcast

9) Non-sexual or incapable of a worthwhile relationship.

10) Incapable of fully participating in everyday life. For example, deaf people in Children of a Lesser God (1986, Randa Haines, USA)