[Image Description: Multiple images with generally black text on a white background.
Image 1: A large title that reads "Disability representation is flawed." In the background are several screenshots of social media comments. One reads: "Diversity final boss" with a dead rose emoji. Another reads: "Why are they all in wheelchairs". Another reads: "Where are the heterosexual, Caucasian, physically abled people? Why am I not represented?" With a smiling devil emoji. Another reads: "I don't get it why the disabled people?" Another reads: "So they just became crippled?" Another reads: "They're all disabled." Another reads: "Why do nearly all of them end up once on an wheelchair".
Image 2: A heading reads: "Can you name three disabled main characters?" Smaller text reads: "Don't worry, you're not a shitty person if you can't. In the UK, only 8.3% of characters are disabled, and only 1.1% in the top shows in telly." Larger text reads: "Isn't that absolutely bananas?" Beside the text is a drawing of a Black woman with a forearm crutch.
Image 3: A heading reads: "Villainising disabled people seems to be a popular trope." Smaller text reads: "Think Captain Hook, the Witches, Darth Vadar! You see a facial difference, limb difference, a wheelchair, and think- VILLAIN! EVIL! DREADFUL! Moreover, sometimes we get a disabled Gillian who's evil because their disabled. They hate their disability and it's their whole character." Larger text reads: "In a lot of shows, disability = (equals) bad." Beside the text is a drawing of a white man in a manual wheelchair.
Image 4: A heading reads: "The super cripple!" Smaller text reads: "Sometimes we get a disabled character who goes above and beyond! They are impossibly good at what they do, they have no limits, their disability doesn't actually seem to disable them. Removing the issues around disability from disabled people removes the opportunity for a complex character." Beside the text is a drawing of a tan-skinned man with no legs in something similar to a hand-powered bicycle.
Image 5: A pink heading reads: "Tokenism". Smaller text reads: "Tokenism is where you quickly pop in a 'diverse character', and give them no notable role in the plot. If the whole story wouldn't change if they weren't put there, they're a token character. Often, disabled characters are just thrown in, with no effort put into their character, and following along with common tropes." Larger pink text reads: "Just a token crip!" Beside the text is a drawing of a tan-skinned person with a prosthetic leg.
Image 6: A heading reads: "Beyond the odds". Smaller text reads: "There's also the character whose entire arc is curing their disability. Through grit and hard work, possibly some unethical choices, they manage to do it. It's meant to be inspirational, for all those able bods to cry and feel good. But what about us disabled people who will certainly not be cured?" Bigger pink text reads: "It's a miracle! They're cured!" Beside the text is a drawing of a young Black girl with one leg in a wheelchair.
Image 7: A title reads: "And people appreciate seeing themselves in media they consume". In the background are several screenshots of social media comments. One reads: "Number 4 has my walking stick! Or the lighter pink version of my one anyway." Another reads: "I love these so much (crying emoji). It's not often you get just everyday fun conversations with mates with disabled characters." Another reads in all caps: "As a disabled person this makes me so happy! Representation I'm gonna go cry happy tears OMG (crying emojis)". Another reads: "I love this! As a disabled person, I feel there is not enough characters and art recognizing disabilities!" Another reads: "Powerchair rep OMG (pleading emoji)". Another reads: "Ah I love this (heart emoji). I am becoming more and more visibly disabled with my EDS after so long of being 'invisible' - seeing this kind of art always warms my heart". Another reads: "Appreciating seeing more than one type of wheelchair here." Another reads: "As a disabled person, the representation here makes me happy (happy face emoticon)".
Image 8: A title reads: "I make the representation I don't get". The text is surrounded by pink stars.
Image 9: A pink heading reads: "Sources". Below is a list of links:
- https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/what-tv-genres-are-the-most-representative-of-disabled-people/
- https://luminositylibrary.wordpress.com/2021/04/19/ableist-tropes-101-the-disabled-villain-discussion/
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/main/inspirationallydisadvantaged
- https://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/library/barnes-disabling-imagery.pdf
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