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1.     Why are Keep the Change and Out of my Mind important films? What does they contribute culturally? How are they a more ethical representation of disability?

Keep the Change and Out of my Mind are extremely important because it shows correct representation!!! Finally!!! It shows actual disabled actors, actual situations, and real-life problems that those with disabilities face, and they do it all while focusing on the true problem…society. These movies focus on the struggles that people with disabilities face are indeed not the disability, but society. In Out of my Mind, her problems were centered towards how outside sources made her life harder. Example, she had to fight multiple people (schools, medical) just to get the things that she deserves and needs to thrive in life. Having this type of actual representation is so important. Viewers are now able to grasp what is true in the realm of disability. Not to mention, authenticity is just always the best way to go about things when trying to represent them. In Red Rosenberg’s “Cosplaying Oppression: Hollywood’s History of Excluding People From their Own Stories,” she goes into detail about how Hollywood likes to steal these potential jobs away from those with disabilities. Even though Hollywood has made strives to include other minority groups, they struggle majorly include the biggest minority group (2021). In Keep the Change, this made great strides towards the autism community and disability. They had actual autistic actors, did not make over-exaggerate their disability for the film, and did not follow any of the negative tropes. “It’s the movie the community has long been waiting for” (Reese Piper, 2018). This film also portrays a real-life story of how a man with autism fell in love in a world that made it seem impossible to love with autism. I feel like it is plain and simple that having accurate representation when trying to portray something is important. It is sad and shocking that some people just do not see that. Answering how they are more ethical is hard because I feel like it is just so obvious. I hope more film makers and actors realize how important it is to have accurate representation. It helps that community, society, and overall, the film industry in general.

2.     What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled actors playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

There are a lot of implication of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability. There is going to be inaccuracy, over-exaggeration, offensive everything, and just straight up disrespect towards those who do have disabilities and want to properly represent their film. As explained by Jessie Gender (YouTube Channel), in the video “Sia’s Music: The Trap of Symbolic Autistic Representation,” Jessie explains the complication of not having actual disabled people involved in films perfectly. Jessie goes to explain the movie “Music” by Sia. Having a non-autistic actor portray an autistic character is already bad enough, to add on top of it, Sia then adds things that would most likely over-stimulate a person with autism. The extra lights, bright colors, crazy outfits, enclosed space with lots of people. These things would over-stimulate everyone, let alone someone with autism (2021). It is things like this that now give the audience a misinterpretation whether it is small or big. The small things turn into big problems. Not having an actual disabled person involved in movies that re trying to portray disability cause these types of issues.

Hollywood needs to ensure that if they cannot get a director with a disability, that they need to collaborate with the disability community (and get paid WITH credit). And absolutely no more non-disabled actors playing disabled roles. None, at all, sick of it. Films like Keep the Change and Out of my Mind show us that it is possible. That you can have great actors of ALL abilities and still make a great movie.

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They are important films because since the beginning of the film industry, disability has been represented in a negative, harmful manner and almost-never told from the perspective of people with disability that spreads stigma around disability. But, in these movies, they are written, acted, and accurately depicted by disabled people, as we discussed this week in our week ten Tuesday and Thursday lectures. In ‘Out of My Mind,’ we see a great shift from the controversial tropes we’ve seen in the movies we’ve watched thus far such as week seven’s ’Silver Linings Playbook,’ or week fours, ‘Me Before You.’ In ‘Me before you,’ we see the kill-or-cure impulse where the disabled character chose death over living a life with disability, and the actor for this character himself is not actually disabled, and neither are the directors or writers. This message tells the audience that living with a disability is almost ‘worse than death.’ In contrast, ‘Out of My Mind’ provides a realistic and insightful depiction of disability through representation from the disabled actor, writing from the directors and people on set and behind the scenes who have disabilities giving insight and advice from their own experiences. This is similar to ‘Keep The Change,’ which is a very similar, praised film from the views of people with disabilities from people with disability instead of non-disabled writers and actors using and continuing harmful stereotypes and stigma around disability. The actress for Melody in ‘Out Of My Mind’ has gave statements, showing how big of a positive impact this was on many young fans, from an interview she said, ““I’ve gotten so many messages from little kids just saying, ‘Oh, my god, I finally see someone like me on the screen. Thank you,’” said Phoebe, now 16. “It makes me so emotional to think I was once that kid.”” Seeing these movies move away from these common tropes creates a better cultural and ethical representation of disability and shows that a disabled life is still a life worth living.

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What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled actors playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

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What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled actors playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

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When non-disabled people make or direct films about disability, the results often feel fake and misleading. These stories tend to rely on tired stereotypes about disabled characters as “inspirational,” “tragic,” or “heroic” just for living their lives. As Ms. Magazine (2021) points out, Hollywood’s long tradition of “cripping up,” where non-disabled actors play disabled roles, takes opportunities away from disabled performers and reinforces misconceptions. This method sends a bad message that disability is something to overcome rather than a normal part of human diversity, shaping how both society and disabled people view disability itself.Films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind show what something original can look like when disabled people are part of the storytelling. Keep the Change casts autistic actors in autistic roles, giving audiences a rare chance to see someone with a disability experience love, humor, and independence. Similarly, Out of My Mind, starring Phoebe-Rae Taylor, who has cerebral palsy, centers disability without making it the whole story. Both films treat their characters as fully human capable of growth, emotion, and agency rather than as objects of pity or inspiration. Hollywood needs to follow their example by casting disabled actors in disabled roles, hiring disabled writers and consultants, and creating space for disabled voices behind the camera. Expanding authentic representation isn’t just about fairness it makes storytelling richer and more truthful. When disabled people tell their own stories, everyone benefits from seeing a fuller picture of humanity.

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Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people? 

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Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people? 

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Disability representation is important because it shapes how society understands, values, and includes disabled people. For decades, Hollywood and mainstream media have depended on stereotypes such as the “inspirational,” “tragic,” or “magical” disabled character, which messes with the public view and limit how disabled people see themselves. Original representation where disabled people are cast in their own roles and included behind the camera helps break down these harmful tropes. Films like “Keep the Change and Out of My Mind” show how real casting can humanize disability by portraying characters as multidimensional individuals with desires, humor, and agency. As the Geena Davis Institute notes, although nearly 28% of Americans have a disability, only around 3.9% of tv characters do, showing a big gap between reality and representation. To make more empowering portrayals, filmmakers must care about authentic casting, include disabled voices in writing and display, and tell stories that highlight the full spectrum of disabled life not as obstacles to overcome, but as experiences that enrich human diversity. When media moves beyond pity and inspiration to authenticity and respect, it fosters empathy, inclusion, and pride, allowing disabled audiences to finally see themselves accurately shown on screen.

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1.

Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are important films because they push back against the usual stereotypes about disability that are so common in todays film and media. Instead of turning disabled characters into symbols of tragedy or inspiration, these films present them as full human beings with emotions and flaws. Keep the Change is especially powerful because it centers people with autism who actually have autism. The characters are not played by actors pretending to be autistic; they are living the experience and showing it in a true and real way. That gives the film a kind of honesty that is barely ever seen in the film industry. Out of My Mind also contributes culturally by directly viewing the world of a young girl with cerebral palsy, showing her intelligence and individuality rather than focusing on her limitations. Together, these films shift how audiences think about disability, encouraging empathy instead of pity and recognition instead of tokenism. They challenge the idea that disability stories need to be filtered through a non-disabled lens to be understood or accepted. By offering authentic voices and lived experiences, both films make disability visible as a normal and diverse part of human life. Their cultural contribution lies in this normalization, in showing that people with disabilities do not exist for inspiration or moral lessons but as complex individuals whose stories deserve to be told with respect and truth.

2.
When non-disabled people create and direct films about disability, it can lead to unrealistic ideas that show outside ideals rather than real life experiences. These filmmakers often approach disability as something to explain, cure, or change, which reinforces harmful ideas about what it means to live with a disability. When non-disabled actors play disabled characters, the issue becomes even deeper. It not only takes roles away from disabled performers who already face major underrepresentation, but it also diminishes disability to a costume, something that can be put on and taken off for a performance. This approach dehumanizes real people whose identities are not performances but actually their everyday real lives. Hollywood has been praising these ideas, often giving awards to non-disabled actors for “transforming” into disabled characters, while rarely supporting authentic casting. What needs to change is inclusion at every level: disabled writers, directors, and actors must have space to tell their own stories and explain how disability is shown. Films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind show how much more powerful and real these stories become when told authentically. They teach that true representation requires trust and collaboration with the communities being represented. Hollywood can learn that disability is not a plot device or a way to evoke sympathy, but an essential part of human diversity that deserves real, nuanced visibility.

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1. Keep The Change and Out of My Mind are both huge steps in the disability community and Hollywood. Keep the Change is about two autistic adults who are trying to find love and independence and both the featured actors Brandon Polansky and Samantha Elisofon are both on the autism spectrum. Then Out of My Mind is about a young girl with cerebral palsy who is brilliant but is overlooked, and the actor who portrays her is Phoebe-Rae Taylor who has cerebral palsy. Both films highlight a turn toward real inclusion by putting impaired performers in disability roles and cooperating with their communities throughout production. There is a quote that shows how big of a step this is in the article Spotlight: Out of My Mind on Disney+ Sets a New Standard for Authentic Disability Representation stating “I saw no one like me in books or on TV shows. I actually thought when I was younger that I was the only person in a wheelchair. I saw no one else.” Which just shows that the disabled community might have had representation but never representation by an actor who actually has the disability. This is a huge step in the right direction that Hollywood is taking. Hopefully they can continue casting actors with the disability so that the disabled community continues getting the proper representation.

3. Disability representation is vital Because it influences how society views, values, and incorporates disabled persons, disability representation is essential. Inaccurate representations of people with disabilities in movies, TV shows, and other media create stigma, sympathy, or invisibility. In the article by Reese Piper, she was doing an interview and asked a great question that led to a great response. The question was “Do you think it’s important that most of the cast was autistic?” The person being interviewed Rachel responded with “If we’re making a story about autistic characters then I think it’s important the cast be autistic. I’ve known Brandon for many years, but I didn’t really know anyone else on the spectrum. And even though I knew Brandon, I didn’t know much about autism and what I know now is how diverse it is. It’s very hard to pigeonhole someone on the spectrum.” I think this is a powerful answer, showing that just because you know one person with the disability others may be different even with the same disability. Which this quote from Cosplaying Oppression: Hollywood’s History of Excluding Autistic People From Their Own Stories backs this by stating “To other autistic people, I certainly look and act autistic,” autistic artist and audio describer Meg told Junkee.”To anyone without knowledge in the area, I may appear ‘just a little weird’. Their image of autism was informed by inaccurate media.” This furthers the point that people with the same disability may act differently, which is why it is so important to have representation of disability in film with actors who have the disability.

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Why are Keep the Change and Out of my Mind important films? What do they contribute culturally? How are they a more ethical representation of disability?

Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are groundbreaking films that authentically represent disability by including disabled people in both their creation and portrayal. Rather than using disability as a symbol of tragedy or inspiration, these films center disabled characters as full, complex human beings.

In Keep the Change, director Rachel Israel tells a love story between two autistic adults played by autistic actors Brandon and Samantha. As Piper writes, “Keep the Change is a heartwarming love story between two autistic adults played by no other than autistic actors” (par.1). That casting choice is rare and important because it challenges the Hollywood tradition of non-disabled actors portraying autistic people. Piper adds, “In the few films depicting autistic characters, their role usually illustrates the burden they place on the people around them. But Keep the Change veers from that trend and highlights how judgmental attitudes strain and harm autistic people…” (par.5). In other words, the film doesn’t focus on autism as a problem—it focuses on how society’s attitudes cause harm.

Likewise, Out of My Mind redefines disability representation through its authenticity and inclusivity. The story centers Melody, a nonverbal Black girl with cerebral palsy, who communicates through assistive technology. The Geena Davis Institute notes that “Out of My Mind pushes against media stereotypes and tropes around disability… through authentic disability representation, having the disabled protagonist played by a disabled actor” (par.14). This authenticity marks a major step forward in Hollywood’s inclusion of disabled talent. The same report emphasizes that the film “sets a new standard for authentic disability representation” by showing assistive technology as “empowering rather than limiting” (“Spotlight: Out of My Mind”).

Even more powerful is the voice of the film’s young star, Phoebe-Rae Taylor, who says, “Disabilities should not be the main focus of a character, because my life is not just my disability” (par.17). That statement sums up what both films achieve, they normalize disability instead of turning it into spectacle.

Culturally, these movies matter because they shift the narrative from pity to personhood. They prove that representation works best when disabled people are trusted to tell their own stories. As Piper observes, Keep the Change isn’t a film about autism; it’s a film about people who happen to be autistic. That’s what makes both Keep the Change and Out of My Mind so unique; they show disabled people as real people, not just characters to inspire or educate others.

What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled actors playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

Hollywood often tells stories about disability without involving disabled people, and that lack of participation leads to misrepresentation. When non-disabled filmmakers and actors take control of these narratives, they often simplify disability rather than show it authentically.

Eli Rosenberg criticizes this problem in Ms. Magazine, explaining that “The autism and disability had endured a long history of being excluded and ignored by Hollywood— even in the telling and making of their own stories.”. The author also notes the industry’s double standard: “It’s sad how [Hollywood is] so progressive… But not with the disabled community. They’re still like in the past with how they portray it” (par.2). This pattern not only keeps disabled artists out of work but also shapes how society views disability—often through pity or discomfort rather than realism.

Rosenberg’s critique of “cripping up”, when non-disabled actors play disabled roles, further emphasizes this problem. He shows how such portrayals take “work and opportunities from an already grossly marginalized and under-represented group” (par.8). Representation without authenticity leads to exclusion both on-screen and off-screen.

To change this, Hollywood must prioritize true disabled participation at every level. Disabled writers, directors, and actors should be involved from the start. Films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind demonstrate what happens when that inclusion takes place. These films show that when disabled people control their own stories, the result isn’t just more ethical—it’s more human and more powerful.

As Rosenberg reminds us, authentic representation requires authentic participation. Until Hollywood embraces that truth, movies about disability will continue to miss what really matters: the lived experiences of the people being represented.

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Prompt #1: Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people?

Disability representation is so important because more than 28% of people in our country have a disability according to Geena Davis Institute’s article Spotlight: Out of My Mind on Disney + Sets a New Standard for Authentic Disability Representation (P. 3). I would guess there is no one who has a disability that would not want to see someone with the same disability actually playing the part of a disabled person in a movie or Tv show. Not only does it make disabled people feel seen, but it also helps educate others on disabilities. So, instead of feeling scared or not knowing how to treat someone with a disability, abled people better know that disabled people are just like them.  That article also references that disabled people are more than 34% likely to feel that not only are media portrayals of their disability not accurate, but also they do not feel included in the media (P. 3). Having disabled people accurately represented in films also helps stop harmful stereotypes and tropes. By involving people with disabilities in all facets of films and media like in the crew, consultants, and actors, it allows the disability being highlighted to be truly real and not stereotypical (P.7).  The movie Out of My Mind focuses not on what someone with a disability cannot do but what they can.  This is a very important message that needs to be shown more frequently.

Prompt #2: What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled characters playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

The implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability are that the directors and creators could make a bad movie if they do not do enough research on the disabilities being portrayed in the films.  Their lack of research and poor understanding of disabilities can lead to poor representation of people with disabilities.   This is what leads to stereotypes and tropes that are harmful.  According to Rosenberg’s article Cosplaying Oppression: Hollywood’s History of Excluding Autistic People From Their Own Stories, “While many filmmakers and actors can have, or at least claim, good intentions in the way they depict disability, many disabled people face the societal repercussions of such on-screen portrayals of who they are” (P. 10). With the good intentions of making a good film there will still be struggles from the research unless they involve people with disabilities. Using actors/actresses with the disability being focused on the film is the best way to truly accomplish a true understanding of that disability.

Sometimes in movies, the inaccurate portrayal of a disability impact how abled people view those with disabilities.  A lot of times viewers see people with autism as weird or strange because of their behaviors.  Additionally, this can cause disabled people to have a negative view of themselves.  According to Rosenberg, “In some ways, like, we’re so thirsty for like, any representation that even bad representations seems okay, sometimes because there is none” (P.10). Just like neurotypical people, those with autism and other disabilities want to see themselves accurately reflected in movies and media.  One of the great things about the movie Out of My Mind was the actress was actually played by someone with cerebral palsy.  This created an accurate portrayal of someone with that disability.  It also allowed viewers who have cerebral palsy to have a role model and find inspiration that they are capable of many things.

Hollywood must do better.  This can be done by taking the time to find the actors/actresses with disabilities so the viewers can truly learn what it is like to have a disability.  Also, this will better show that those with disabilities have strengths and are capable of many things just like those without disabilities.

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1. Why are Keep the Change and Out of my Mind important films? What does they contribute culturally? How are they a more ethical representation of disability?

Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are important movies that need to be produced to showcase the talent and contributions disabled people can make to Hollywood. The inner voice in the film Out of My Mind gives the trope of inspirational porn a light touch, while Jennifer Aniston's voice-over expresses her inner thoughts about how she wants to be viewed. Shown importance when casting roles for both films; in Out of My Mind, they emphasize characters from everyday life to show the honest, emotional thoughts of Melody and others around her. Comparable to the importance of casting in Keep the Change, Reese Piper explains, "In casting his love interest, we chose Samantha Elisosfan, who was not his real girlfriend, but was from the JCC, and then it became about these two people would fall in love. Then I casted the same community of people first and then we built the story around it" (Piper, 2019). Keeping the community together and the familiarity of actors helped bring an idea to life. These films allowed disabled people to share their stories and experiences with the world through actors who understand the struggles on screen. "This is really important to me, and people need to hear it," Phoebe said. "Disabilities should not be the main focus of a character, because my life is not just my disability" (Geena Davis). That is the importance of the film: to show the normalcy of friendship disputes, the incompetence of teachers, and the ability to compete with other students in the classroom. Both movies contribute to the idea of normalcy in the lives of different disabled characters, such as David and Sarah, whose adult obstacles contrast with Melody's school hardships and cruel kids. The storytelling script delivered to the audience offers viewers a different emotional understanding of how disability can be portrayed to us and how we treat those whose challenges we do not understand. It provides the disabled community with jobs and opportunities to share their stories with the world.

3. Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people?

The representation of disability is essential because the media nowadays portrays everything to younger generations. Instead of misrepresenting pity, tragedy, or inspirational porn, these movies relied on showing everyday lives and experiences rather than unethical storylines. Creating a more powerful storyline for disabled people would present more empowering identification models to look up to. Reese's opinion behind the casting of Keep the Change expresses that "I wanted to replicate my experience of discovery because it's not something we experience very often in fiction films. And I thought it could be powerful (Piper, 2019). Hollywood has at times dismissed disabled individuals for personal gain, hiring a nondisabled actor to portray a role they cannot relate to. “It’s sad how [Hollywood is] so progressive, they’ve really moved forward when it comes to representation,” Catherine Burford, an autistic writer, told Ms. “But not with the disabled community. They’re still like in the past with how they portray it. They still like to rely on those who are not disabled [to portray disabled characters]” (Rosenburg, 2021). By overcoming Hollywood's stereotypes, our world will open up to disabled individuals to perform these roles with true passion. More powerful moves to make the disabled community seen in industry standards, allowing guidelines against stereotypes, tropes, and storytelling practices across all production, such as hallmark movies. Empowering viewers to discover inspirational porn, feel-good movies, or TV shows across a streaming service would broaden their horizons and help them explore more shows. It is important to move beyond one-dimensional portrayals—disabled characters should be characterized as leaders, lovers, parents, and professionals, not defined solely by their disability. As in Keep the Change, the woman, Sarah, was in touch with her sexuality pretty loudly, which is not shown in many inspirational porn films.

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1. Keep the Change and Out of my Mind are important films because both films actually cast actors with disability. In Keep the Change it shows that people with disabilities can have relationships instead of being shown as asexual. “It was important to see a character on the spectrum pursuing love because it is not something we see in film” (Piper, 2018, para 18), which it is important because when we watched Code of the Freaks at the very beginning of the semester they talked about people with disability do not typically get to be in love during films. In Out of my Mind, it shows what life can be like with cerebral palsy and having difficulty communicating. Even when Melody gets her Medi-Talk she still gets excluded from things, and the school trying to keep her in the special education classroom instead of being with everyone else. I do believe when Melody was going off on everyone towards the end of the movie about how she doesn’t care about what people think wasn’t just meant for the people in the classroom but also for the audience as well.

3. Disability representation is so important because it brings out authenticity, and they can share their own life experience and bring that to films. Rosenberg (2021) states that when actors that are not disabled are casted into roles of disabled characters it distorts the general publics image of what disability actually looks like (para. 30). So, when we see two movies that have actors that are actually disabled (one of the movies even is a story about one of the disabled actor’s real-life experiences) it breaks this trope of casting actors who are non-disabled into roles of disabled characters. We can create more empowering representations of disabled people by casting disabled characters authentically, show the full emotions of disabled life, and reject the idea that disability equals “otherness” (Geena Davis Institute, 2024) which we see all of these things in Out of my Mind, and it is no wonder that this film has gotten such high praise since it has came out. We also need to show the realities of disabled lives, like what we see in Keep the Change about people with autism pursuing love and Out of my Mind with Melody going through communication struggles and being excluded just because she is “different”. These things happen and it is nice to bring awareness to it that way we don’t assume things that may end up hurting people with disabilities from stereotypes.

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Prompt #1:

Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are important films because they highlight the dangerous sterotypes that arise around disability and show what the representation of disability should look like in a film. As author Reese Piper sees, many depictions of Austin focus on “the burden [autistic people] place on the people around them,” however Keep the Change “veers from that trend” by highlighting that autistic people is emotional live and displaying how society’s viewpoint can create bad attitudes. This reframes the idea that autism does not need to be fixed but is a way to invite everyone into our world.

Out of My Mind brings out the idea that showing those with disabilities is a necessity in the casting and storytelling world. The Geena Davis Institute (2024) shows that casting choices is important as giving a disabled actor a role allows them to be “the most genuine” portrayal possible. This brings out the frustration across the audience who according to Nielsen report, are 34% more likely to have a thought that people's identities are being underrepresented.

These films are crucial as they provide evidence that disabled actors can live their life beyond their disabilities. As Red Rosenberg notes, disability never depicts “love stories” or shows how disabled people are “whole real people.” Keep the Change and Out of My Mind show what disabled characters should experience and that is love and growth. Disabled actors should not be labeled for pity or objects but just as a normal human being. These films show the ethical viewpoint of how disability should be portrayed and this will allow us as a society to understand better.

Prompt #3

Disability representation is essential because it views how society sees disabled people. Many times, disabled characters are shown as objects which creates harmful ideas about their lived experiences. As Reese Piper says “In the few films depicting autistic characters, their role usually illustrates the burden they place on the people around them. But Keep The Change veers from that trend and highlights how judgmental attitudes strain and harm autistic people – and it’s a radical move for neurodivergent representation in film.” This limits the viewpoint and makes disability seem tragic instead of just a normal part of human diversity. Keep the Change however does a well job in challenging these perspectives and showing “judgmental attitudes strain and harm autistic people” instead of presenting them as the problem.

The viewing can also create many sterotypes. Red Rosenberg states that “disabled people are not given space to be full characters in of themselves” and this shows that the audiences hardly ever see “love stories of disabled people… being like, whole real people.” When films bring in disabled people expiring love and humor it changes the stereotypes and allows the audience to connect with the disabled people on a human level.

There are more insightful depiction that the film industry must show in casting and storytelling. As Rosenberg states, “it’s “offensive” when non-disabled actors “pretend to be a disabled person for money.” In the casting in the film Out of My Mind, Geena Davis Institute (2024) highlights the picture of Melody, and how it helps show representation. It requires hiring those with disabilities to tell their side of their own story from there lived experience. By allowing this, media can limit the stereotypes and show empowerment showing the disability is an enriching part of human life.

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Why are Keep the Change and Out of my Mind important films? What do they contribute culturally? How are they a more ethical representation of disability?

Both Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are important films because they show real and ethical portrayals of people with disabilities, which is something that is often missing in Hollywood. One of the most meaningful parts of these movies is that they cast actors with disabilities to play disabled characters. This makes the stories feel more honest and gives people from the disability community a real chance to represent/see themselves on screen. Instead of having non-disabled actors acting to be disabled, these films bring in authentic voices and real experiences. In Keep the Change, the actors with autism show their characters in a real way as they experience friendship and love (Piper, 2018, p. 3). This challenges the common stereotype that people with disabilities cannot have relationships as we discussed before in class. The film also focuses on David, the main character, which is also not typically seen in films. In Out of My Mind, Phoebe-Rae Taylor, a disabled actor, plays Melody and has said she truly related to her character (Geena Davis Institute, 2024, p. 2). Which, overall, can help other people feel seen. The Geena Davis Institute (2024) also gives three important points that all of Hollywood should follow: “cast disabled characters authentically,” “show the full spectrum of disabled life – including joy, agency, and ambition,” and “reject the idea that disability equals otherness” (p. 7). Out of My Mind and Keep the Change both follow these ideas, creating honest and true representations of disability. These films are powerful because they help audiences see people with disabilities as full human beings who deserve to have their stories told.

Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people?

Disability representation is important because it allows a large and often overlooked part of the population to feel seen, valued, and included. According to the Geena Davis Institute (2024), using data from the CDC, “more than 28 percent of people in the United States have a disability” (p. 3). Even though this number represents a big part of the population, people with disabilities are still rarely and inaccurately represented in film and tv. On-screen representation is a way for any community to feel recognized, especially when it comes from actors who can relate to their characters and provide an authentic performance. True disability representation helps challenge stereotypes and removes harmful ideas about what people with disabilities can or cannot do. It also gives those within the community the chance to see themselves reflected in empowering ways, which can change how society views them and how they view themselves (Rosenberg, 2021, p. 12). Rosenberg (2021) also explains how we can create more diverse and empowering portrayals of disabled people. It starts with casting more disabled actors in meaningful roles. These roles should show disabled characters as complex and multi-dimensional, not defined only by their disability. Filmmakers should also collaborate with the disability community when creating stories. Listening to their voices and experiences ensures that the portrayals are honest and respectful (pp. 13–14).

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1.     Both Keep the Change and Out of My Mind are groundbreaking because of their centering of disabled characters through an authentic and ethical representation throughout the films. Reese Piper (2018) describes that Keep the Change is the movie that the autistic community has been waited a long time for and noting that it portrays authentic adults as funny, complex, and romantic instead of a burden to society or characters that only move the plot forward. By casting autistic actors Brandon and Samantha, the film rejects the traditional Hollywood able bodies actor pretending to have a disability on screen. This instead allows autistic people to tell their own stories in the mass media. Similarly, Disney’s Out of My Mind (2024) set a new standard for disability representation by casting an actor with cerebral palsy as a non-verbal sixth grader who uses assistive technology to communicate. This production of film included accessibility consultants and earned a seal that recognized the authentic representation present in the film. Both films contribute culturally by normalizing disability as apart of everyday life as a human and showing that the inclusion enriches the story and characters. They replace the normal pity and stereotypes with authenticity and real experiences allowing the film to create a more ethical representation that values the lived experiences over imitation and stereotypes.

3.      Disability representation is essential due to its impact on how it shapes society into understanding inclusivity, disability identity, and their worth. As Red Rosenberg (2021) argues that Hollywood has an exceptionally long history of excluding autistic and disabled people form having their own stories present in media and rather relying on tropes and stereotypes that turn disabled characters in props instead of people. This exclusion reinforces the harmful narratives that disability is a tragedy rather than just another natural part of human diversity. Having authentic representation like in Keep the Change and Out of My Mind allows the disabled community to define themselves on screen and behind the screen as individuals. This begins to shift the narrative from pity to empowering these individuals. This creates more diverse and strengthening portrayals the filmmakers need to hire disabled writers, directors, and actors. This will help to avoid these one-dimensional stereotypes we typically see from Hollywood and instead integrate accessibility into every level of production. When disability is treated as a natural part of our lives rather than a symbol the audience and society gain a more accurate understanding of humanity. A broader inclusion across film genres can help show disabled characters as full participants in every situation in everyday life. In the end, accurate representation is both an artistic and moral responsibility so when disabled people see themselves reflected authentically in the mass media the culture moves closer to equality and understanding fully.

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1. Why are Keep the Change and Out of my Mind important films? What does they contribute culturally? How are they a more ethical representation of disability?

2. What are the implications of non-disabled people creating and directing films about disability? What are the implications of non-disabled actors playing characters with disabilities? What needs to change in Hollywood regarding portrayals of disability and disabled people? What might be learned from films like Keep the Change and Out of My Mind?

3. Why is disability representation so important? How can we create more diverse and empowering representations of disabled people?

4. How does "Keep the Change" differ from Sia's film "Music"? Provide specific examples. (You might consider casting, writing, the ways characters are portrayed, who the protagonist is, the plot, or even the aesthetics of the film.)