Challenging Disability Stereotypes: Media Portrayal and Discrimination by Charles Beckman

Media representation/prejudice

686535_1 — 2023-12-10 21:17:16 UTC

Disability is not portrayed well in the media. Often characters with disabilities are played by able-bodied actors. My Aunt Paula, who has cerebral palsy, said “Anybody can sit in a wheelchair. Anybody could be blind… I think it’s very phony.” She also notes “I think they put people with disabilities down, or they don’t even have them at all.” People with disabilities are extremely underrepresented in the media, and when there are characters with disabilities, they aren’t accurately represented or just used as a pity tool. Not only is disability poorly represented in the media, but people with disabilities face discrimination daily. “You name it. I face it. There are stairs. When I walk, people tend to give me dirty looks. I go in a room and people move away from me.” Finding accessible places can be hard, even with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Many places still lack ramps or curb cuts, making it entirely inaccessible for people with disabilities. Also, people with disabilities face prejudice every day, as many people dehumanize people with disabilities. Some people avoid people with disabilities, and they are afraid of talking to them. They just see the pity story and don’t think of them as a person.

686535_1 — 2023-12-10 21:17:19 UTC

Disability education

686535_1 — 2023-12-10 21:17:23 UTC

So many people, even today, are uneducated about disability. Paula aims to teach people about it. “I taught kids about disability issues…And not only do I want to educate kids, I want to educate adults. Because adults are just as uneducated. I’m very, very passionate about that as you can tell.” People pre-judge people with disabilities and don’t think they can be married. Here’s a story that Paula told me on this topic. “Eric and I were walking down the street, and Eric kissed me, and a lady literally hit him on the head, and said 'You shouldn't take advantage of somebody like that,' and he said ‘No she's my wife.’ They think Eric is my caregiver…We sat down with the person and we talked to them. It was a good educational experience. I’m not afraid if people come up to me and ask what’s wrong with me, I’m more than happy to explain what I have, how I got it, everything like that, because the more people know, the better. I educated one more person.” As more people become aware of disability issues, there will be less discrimination.

Misconceptions/Work/Family activities

686535_1 — 2023-12-11 17:12:18 UTC

There are lots of stereotypes regarding people with disabilities. People would be surprised when they hear everything Paula has accomplished. When asked about this, she dismantles these preconceptions. (People would be surprised) “That I have a Master’s. That I’m married.” And she supports herself. “When I was younger, before I met Eric, and when I was going to San Diego State, and I lived on my own…I had a job, so I think I overcame all the stereotypes.” Paula goes to the gym twice a week, rides the bus, and she works full-time for the City of San Diego. The truth is that a lot of people with disabilities support themselves, however, there should be more representation of disability in the workplace. “I’m sure there are a lot of people like me who work full-time and support themselves. Working around the city, I don’t see a lot of people with physical disabilities who work for the city. Very, very sad.” Another stereotype regarding people with disabilities is that they don’t do everyday activities with their families. These photos show how untrue this really is. It absolutely does not slow down my family. Our family goes to museums, parks, on walks, to the beach, and to restaurants.

Bonus picture at the beach

686535_1 — 2023-12-11 18:14:50 UTC

A video from the City of San Diego featuring Paula

686535_1 — 2023-12-12 05:41:00 UTC