Disabled Women Need Role Models

What can be done about it?

Sarah Park
3 min readMay 3, 2023

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Photo by Centre for Ageing Better on Unsplash

Having role models is crucial for personal growth and development, especially for underrepresented individuals in the media. As a child, there were very few disabled people, let alone disabled women, in the media spotlight. Although this is changing, there is still a massive gap, which can cause significant damage when there is a lack of representation.

Role models can provide guidance, inspiration, and a sense of community for people who face unique challenges or discrimination.

For disabled women, the lack of representation in the media can lead to feelings of isolation, invisibility, and low self-esteem. Without positive role models to look up to, disabled women may struggle to find the courage and confidence to pursue their dreams, advocate for their rights, and break down societal barriers.

The challenges faced by disabled women as a result of not having role models in the media can be numerous. They may include:

  1. Limited opportunities for visibility and representation: Disabled women are often underrepresented or portrayed inaccurately in the media, leading to a lack of visibility and limited opportunities to see themselves represented in positive and empowering ways.
  2. Negative stereotypes and stigma: The limited…

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Sarah Park
Sarah Park

Written by Sarah Park

Mentor/bestselling author/speaker. Ensuing people with disabilities and chronic illnesses feel valued, heard, supported. https://linktr.ee/thedisabilitydiva

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