Disability on Tv

Brightsidebecs

What does everyone think about the increase of tv shows and streaming services been more inclusive towards people with disability’s? I think it is fantastic and about time as disabled people are just as important as able bodied people! I love shoes like the circle. As it is showing diversity and using assistive technology which is useful for all!

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @Brightsidebecs and a warm welcome to the community! I have cerebral palsy and I was so happy when Paddy entered the circle!!! I think it's really important for TV and media to be as inclusive as possible.

pollyanna1052

Escape to the Country now has a presenter who is a wheelchair user.....great to see, but he wont be able to get upstairs in the properties. All the same, it`s good to see.

paffuto10

  Loved it when Paddy won the circle 

But I was thinking hey up Paddy, stop jumping about on your crutches, you might lose your PIP!!! 

OverlyAnxious

paffuto10 said:

  Loved it when Paddy won the circle 

But I was thinking hey up Paddy, stop jumping about on your crutches, you might lose your PIP!!! 

Haha, that's an interesting thought...as PIP isn't means tested he probably is still entitled despite his recent £70k savings addition!!    


I was really surprised that I'd never learnt what actually causes CP until Paddy explained it in the circle!  Likewise with Georgina's Chrons...I even know people with Chrons but didn't know exactly what causes it!  I've got a lot of respect for her talking about it so openly as well, it's something she could have so easily kept hidden...I personally find it really difficult, awkward and embarrassing to mention anything to do with my IBS in real life which isn't nearly as bad! 

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way but I'm very 'squeamish' and easily shocked by less common visible conditions...  I guess a lot of people are the same?  It means that I can accidentally stare or suddenly look away, but it isn't intentional and I always feel bad for the other person if they notice.     I feel like having more disabled people on TV is helping normalise it though which can only be a good thing for people on both sides!! A good example of that is Adam Pearson...I find his documentaries fascinating, but found him quite difficult to watch the first time.  There's also a local weather presenter with one arm which I still struggle with tbh, though it's getting easier.  I really hope that doesn't offend anyone, as I say it is totally unintentional and involuntary and I appreciate it must be really awful for people with those conditions!

April2018mom

This is one of my favorite topics to discuss! I think it is high time perceptions were changed as well. I want to see more people with spina bifida in mainstream media more often. As the mom of a little boy with a birth defect (SB) I love it when I read articles about other kids with spina bifida online etc, it makes such a difference I think. I hope so anyway. 

This is why inclusion is very important as well. This is 2019 after all. We need to remember that. One of my goals is to get my son doing normal fun activities like bowling, ice skating etc next year. That has not been a priority but that will change soon. 

Brightsidebecs

Thank you everyone for your comments, please keep them coming as i think it is very important to discuss these topics! @OverlyAnxious thanks for being so honest and so open about your opinion and how disability can sometimes make you feel. I don’t agree with some of your views as the things you have mentioned do not make me feel uncomfortable at all. I do however respect your views and you cant help feeling this way! Thanks again for being honest its never easy to vocalise an opinion that could be seen as controversial. 

Brightsidebecs

@April2018mom thanks for your message, I agree with you that there needs to be a variety in the types of disability on TV but i think how the mainstream is going its going in the right direction.
I hope your son all the best in starting new activities  

Brightsidebecs

@paffuto10 i too was happy that paddy one the circle but i need have the same thoughts as you about PIP  

Brightsidebecs

Hi @Chloe_Scope Thanks for the warm welcome. I too have Cerebral Palsy, i agree with you totally about disability being on TV

Brightsidebecs

@pollyanna1052. I agree with you that although it is great to see disabled presenters on programmes like Escape to the country. It is not very fair that they have to go in houses and not be able to access the upstairs. It is showing the barriers that disabled people like myself do face so maybe it is good that it highlighting these issues while trying to promote inclusion.

WhileIBreathIHope

Personally Disabled on TV are like watching animals at a zoo, hold your horses before you hit the report button and let me explain!

Most of the shows it seems to be a token gesture and producers looking for sympathy vote and not empowering people.

I don’t care if someone is presenting from a wheelchair, using a text to speech reader or anything in between.

I want to see genuine interaction and focusing on what they know and do and not their disability.

I’m also disappointed the ATOS,Lima and Maximus fraud persists and it claws me that my mate with spinal problems and letters from consultants and operations gets his DLA snatched away for 2 years, yet some lazy bint I know who has never worked- bar possibly horizontal tango and third generation bad back- gets away with murder.

the local market town getting pregnant to get a house is a badge of honour and single mothers dream- I despair.

pollyanna1052

WhileIBreathIHope said:

Personally Disabled on TV are like watching animals at a zoo, hold your horses before you hit the report button and let me explain!

Most of the shows it seems to be a token gesture and producers looking for sympathy vote and not empowering people.

I don’t care if someone is presenting from a wheelchair, using a text to speech reader or anything in between.

I want to see genuine interaction and focusing on what they know and do and not their disability.

I’m also disappointed the ATOS,Lima and Maximus fraud persists and it claws me that my mate with spinal problems and letters from consultants and operations gets his DLA snatched away for 2 years, yet some lazy bint I know who has never worked- bar possibly horizontal tango and third generation bad back- gets away with murder.

the local market town getting pregnant to get a house is a badge of honour and single mothers dream- I despair.

You veered somewhat off topic in the 2nd part of your comment. This post is about TV using disabled people . Comments on the failings of PIP etc do have their own slot. Point taken all the same chuck!

paffuto10

@WhileIBreathIHope

Know what you mean about token gestures for disabled people on TV.

I didn't realise that some people of colour felt the same until I saw a young lady saying "I am the token black woman on here" (Big Brother when it first started) 

I still remember being shocked with that reality and for years kept an eye on TV and goodness, she was right! 
Things seem to be a bit better now though so hopefully it will also improve for disability on TV. 

WhileIBreathIHope

I really feel for those who just get on with it.
Example the receptionist at local hospital in a wheelchair--always friendly and efficient. 
Then I deeply dislike the section of society who use disability as a lever to manipulate others. 

I don't want to see some idealised fake sob stories.

I want normal interactions and successes. 
Example young disabled person passing driving test. 

Person getting promoted at work as job well done etc and disability seen but not focused on. 

April2018mom

WhileIBreathIHope said:

I really feel for those who just get on with it.
Example the receptionist at local hospital in a wheelchair--always friendly and efficient. 
Then I deeply dislike the section of society who use disability as a lever to manipulate others. 

I don't want to see some idealised fake sob stories.

I want normal interactions and successes. 
Example young disabled person passing driving test. 

Person getting promoted at work as job well done etc and disability seen but not focused on. 

I agree. I don’t want to read stories about the young disabled woman who was abused after a night out for no reason. I want to read happy uplifting articles about the disabled person who works independently at their local library etc. 

April2018mom

Brightsidebecs said:

@April2018mom thanks for your message, I agree with you that there needs to be a variety in the types of disability on TV but i think how the mainstream is going its going in the right direction.
I hope your son all the best in starting new activities  

Brightsidebecs said:

@April2018mom thanks for your message, I agree with you that there needs to be a variety in the types of disability on TV but i think how the mainstream is going its going in the right direction.
I hope your son all the best in starting new activities  

Thanks! 

mrbuttons

As a disabled woman from an ethnic minority. I see the portrayal and inclusion of disabled people on tv today in much the same way as i did seeing the inclusion of black people over the last 20yrs. My initial reaction was very positive and optimistic. But then....i felt they were included to show the majority of the public that they were just like them almost as if their disability isunimportant or secondary to some other characteristic. A bit like when some white people say that they dont see colour.it might sound admirable but its reductive, it means that they dont see the person infront of them as they actually are, but as they want to see them from a position of priviledge.

I remember watching the paralympics and hearing all the amazing       "triumph over adversity" stories of the paralympians and being very impressed before they had even competed in their events.did i feel that way about the other athletes? No not until they had won their events.


  I like to relate to the people on screen but i find its a two edged sword. Inclusion is great but not charicatures or tokens. I dont want to see disable people being portrayed as 100% good and noble . Or as they often used to be portrayed as evil or the baddie or a subject of derision or hate because of their disability. The disability should not be the main focus, neither should it be ignored.

There is a deaf actress on the walking dead who is an actress who happens to be deaf playing a deaf character. She is a character first. her role is fully developed and important to the narrative of the show. Others accommodate her when necessary but she holds her own and isnt always needing to be rescued because of her "vulnerability". I think this is a very realistic way of representing disability, her condition isnt instantly  visible, as is the case for many of us in the real world. The more we are represented and seen the more we are viewed as a useful part of the world.  But there can be a backlash ,as there has been about the number of non white people on our screens. I am not equating disabilty to ethnicity, i am just using ethnicity to explain that some people hate to see difference, some people feel threatened by the fact that difference exists.

pollyanna1052

The main thing is we are ALL valuable, ALL valid, ALL important people. But as individuals we also ALL have our own experiences both good and bad, which make tv ads just lip service and box ticking exercises.
Take care Mr Buttons.....xxxxx

Brightsidebecs

I agree with you @pollyanna1052