Disability Representation in Media

Lack of representation has significant repercussions.

I was working on a sales page earlier today; for an upcoming workshop, I am delivering on disability inclusion. It got me thinking about; how disability inclusion is often underrepresented in media, marketing, and other forms of representation.

It’s not my first time considering or writing about the issue, and what prompted this was looking at photos to find disability represented in pictures. It became evident that disability was being defined much less positively than other oppressed groups.

Here are a few possible reasons why:

1. Lack of understanding: Many people do not clearly understand what disability is and how it affects individuals. It can lead to misunderstandings and stereotypes perpetuating negative attitudes towards people with disabilities, leading to a lack of knowledge about accurately representing people with disabilities in media and other forms of representation.
2. Stigma: There is still much stigma attached to disability, making people uncomfortable talking about it or portraying it positively. This stigma can lead to people with disabilities being excluded from mainstream media and representation.
3. Access barriers: People with disabilities may face additional barriers to participating in media and other forms of representation, such as physical access barriers or a lack of accommodations for their needs; which make it difficult for people with disabilities to have their voices heard and stories told.
4. Intersectionality: Disability intersects with other forms of diversity, such as race, gender, and sexuality. People with disabilities who belong to other marginalised groups may face even more significant barriers to representation and may be even more underrepresented than others.

Disability in the Media — The statistics

There is a significant lack of comprehensive data on the representation of people with disabilities in media compared to other minority groups. However, a few studies and reports provide some insight:

• According to a 2020 report by the Ruderman Family Foundation, only 22%…