Disability And The Role Of Media In Promoting Inclusiveness

Legislations and Progress Made to Promote Inclusiveness

Disability relates to an individual's physical or psychological impairment. Under such circumstances, a person experiences numerous limitations in performing various activities. The conditions prevalent may also culminate in participation restrictions. Americans living with various forms of disability constitute a significant portion of the country's minority groups. The statistical data currently available indicates that 26% of the nation's inhabitants deal with the different afflictions and disorders (Cdc.gov, 2020). Over time, the country has implemented numerous legislations to ensure the protection of its differently-abled citizen. Furthermore, the country even implemented the Americans with Disability Act in 1990. Even so, the media has had a profound effect with respect to telling the narratives pertaining to people living with special needs. More distinctly, it has often propagated some stereotypes for individuals living with various forms of incapacitation. Mass media has not been very active in presenting a favorable profile to and for disabled people and their communities; however, today, these communities and their members' portrayals have improved, and so is the amount of media consumption from the disabled person.

Maia & Vimieiro article published in 2015 provides an avenue of adequately interpreting emancipatory projects in lieu of modern-day politics with a specific inclination towards concepts of individuality in addition to social inclusiveness. The researchers assert that the media has experienced some moral progress over the years with respect to portraying people experiencing different forms of dysfunction. Additionally, the transformations come about as a result of concepts that emphasize on individuality in addition to ascertaining social inclusiveness in lieu of  the studies conducted by Axel Honneth. Maia & Vimieiro assert that the approaches presented by Honneth underscored the order prevalent socially in modern times with a distinct inclination towards equality and the enactment of rights to that ensure individuals can enjoy a greater degree of autonomy as well as liberty. The scholars elaborate the role of increased activism in addition to movement that highlight the plight of individuals with special needs in determining the outcomes of international conventions as well as legislations globally. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has paved the way for various conventions applicable internationally and treaties that highlight the dignity, equality coupled with the inherent value of individuals incapacitated physically or mentally owing to consistent efforts by individuals striving to improve the plight of special needs groups. More distinctly, the UN Declaration for the International year of Disabled Persons was implemented in 1981 and in 1984 the UN Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities came into effect. As a result, media houses have made attempts to align their representation of the disabled with the provisions indicated in various regulations applicable locally and across borders in addition to international conventions. The policies have also created an impetus for increasing participation of people with different impairments in various aspects of society including, family life, leisure and cultural activities in addition to building the economy by joining the workforce. As a result of the group's increasing involvement in different spheres of an economy, the media has an opportunity to accurately represent them without some of the biases prevalent in the past. Despite all the accommodations made to uphold ideas pertaining to democratic inclusion particularly in Brazil, individuals dealing with various forms of infirmity decry their exclusion from different areas in society. More distinctively, the arena dealing with the dissemination of news has become the subject of conflicts owing to the controversies and fragmented perspectives evident among legislators, specialists and disability groups ascribing to interests and principles. Furthermore, primary societal norms have become subject to agonistic interpretations by the media.

The Role of Media in Portraying Differently-Abled Individuals

In their journal, Aspler, Harding & Cascio (2022) explain that the media serves as a reflection of how people understand a given social issue, the believes that become pertinent and acompanying values. With a specific focus on incapacitated individuals and those dealing with autism, the scholars underscore the importance of companies involved in the mass dissemination of information in affecting general community perceptions. In the contemporary setup, the media has become an integral part of promoting the attainment of social justice critical in improving the lives of underrepresented individuals when various impairments, specifically autistic people. Thus, it has become increasingly easier to access scripted materials on television that provide some insights into the lives of those with special needs. Even so, some of the portrayals prevalent on the news on radio and other platforms may reinforce specific stereotypes. Under such circumstances, differently abled people become attached with vilified titles and in some cases as objects requiring some pity. Traditionally, the content available for public consumption often presented such a viewpoint that culminated in the development of ingrained distasteful attitudes among content consumers. In as much as the unfavorable information pertaining to the disabled sometimes makes its way to media houses, telecommunication devices including television have become instrumental in broadcasting content that urges people to draw inspirations from achievers with different impairments. For example, the 1988 movie entitled Rain Man extensively influence the attitudes prevalent in popular culture for anglophone North America. The storyline follows the life of Raymond "Ray" Babbitt, an individual with skills categorized as extra ordinary regardless of the challenges experienced as a result of autism. The proficiency displayed pertains to an area of specialization. Additionally, the manuscripts used act as a source of first-hand information critical in extensively contributing to public knowledge with respect to disability-related concepts. However, primarily dwelling on the capabilities prevalent among individuals living with special needs make eliminate in a devaluation of the lives in general.

The study conducted by Ö?üç & Kasap (2018) provides some insights with respect to depiction of differently-abled individuals in publications available on the internet. Furthermore, the researchers focused on the Northern Cyprus context. In addition to the stereotypes propagated by media as highlighted by Aspler, Harding & Cascio (2022), the article underscores other unpleasant tags used in reference to people indisposed in one way or the other with respect to the use of traditional platforms used in disseminating news. As a result, the general public becomes subconsciously directed into thinking of the population as laughable, non-sexual, super cripple and objects deserving of curiosity as well as violence. For instance, when the Turkish Cypriot Orthopedic Association's leader Orkun Bozkurt tied the knot, his marriage became a subject of interest in news printed and circulated in 2016. The approach used in such a scenario presented the disabled in a manner considered as unempowering. Even so, the environment created by the internet provides an impetus for individuals to easily access the truth they demand or seek. Under such circumstances, people have an opportunity of disregarding the accounts that circulate from mass communication outlets, especially where they feel that the content-available may be skewed. Additionally, Ö?üç & Kasap (2018) elaborate that consumption has become an increasingly prevalent concept in contemporary society predominantly propagated by social media. The ideology disseminated on online platforms eventually culminate in the development of unique social realities. In some situations, traditional patterns either become maintained or regulated. On the flip side, disabled people have become increasingly exposed to maltreatment by conglomerates and enterprises that embark on accomplishing various projects as part of their social responsibility while ensuring that the events become reported on articles and publications available on various websites. Thus, differently abled persons become portrayed as a product available for consumers. For instance, a company such as Northern Cyprus Turkcell has attracted criticism owing to it undertakings  that focused on differently abled individuals. More specifically, the company sought to plunge its operations into the limelight as a result of its work which also include financing activities associated with the Disabled People Basketball Team in the northern part of Cyprus.

Challenges Facing Inclusiveness

Similarly, the research conducted by Zhang & Haller in 2013 indicates that the narrative spread by media houses have positively as well as negatively impacted the identities associated with the disabled. The article highlights that some of the problematic portrayals associated with the American disability community in the last 30 years emanated from the input provided by activists during the interaction with news agencies and organisations or companies involved in the production of songs, films and other forms of entertainment. Traditionally, special needs groups have often experienced exclusion with respect to having their stories recounted by publishing and media houses. More distinctly, the framing used in content development conformed to the provisions of the medical, social pathology, or the superscrip models. Furthermore, entertainment television and movies have often underscored the trauma or stress that the handicap experience, the inclination to receive over compensation among other negative occurrence. The outcome involves stigmatizing the individuals involved. In some instances, people with special needs may develop some self-esteem issues with respect to their self-identity. Even so, an approach that focuses on the perspective of those indisposed in society as opposed to already pre-conceived notions by journalists and professionals in the entertainment industry has provided an avenue through which the general mass can lens of the actual people who have varying experiences as a result of their impairment. Under such circumstances, it becomes possible for the audience to have an accurate representation of the diverse nature of living prevalent between the disabled and non-disabled. The article also underscores the importance of disability advocates in closely liaising with media creators to sensitively capture disability-related issues and practically highlight how it influences public policy. The approach provides an avenue for the equitable distribution of various resources of a social nature to ensure that all individuals in a given community benefit regardless of their mental or physical state.

According to Hartley et al. (2016), media has played a critical role in the current positioning evident among people living with different conditions in the social context. A new stories as well as films have contributed to the attitudes currently witnessed among the masses. Even so, the study emphasizes on the importance of social media with a specific emphasis on platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Skype in addition to Facebook. Furthermore, the journal also assessed the importance of blogs in exposing individuals to new circumstances. The journal provide some insights with respect to the prevalence of digital information and its increasing prominence with respect to aiding communication processes with the emergence of Media applications to adequately deal with disability-related attitudes. Media houses have often highlighted the concept of ableism  in different instances through the content released for public consumption. The study sheds light on the significance of digital media in critically framing ableism particularly encompasses to contribute towards the development of a college environment that encourages inclusivity. More distinctly, the publication had a specific focus on the experiences of students with respect to the exposure to perspectives presented by the disabled on a first-person basis. Thus, the study eliminated an instance where the participants relied on the inputs of others in assessing issues considered as challenging by individuals with different forms of impairments either culturally or politically. The approach made it possible to resist simplistic representations relating to the disabled prevalent in the media. As a result of having unfiltered and unbiased information, study participants had an opportunity of critically assessing the content of dominant stories disseminated by media houses. Furthermore, the scripts used in mainstream films also became subject to evaluation. Similarly, companies involved in developing entertainment features and reporting specific information to the public have changed over the years to ensure that they capture the shifting as well as multiple identities attributable to the differently-abled. Under such circumstances, they have a better chance of adequately underscoring how disability differs between males and females, individuals of different social classes or those affiliated with a community's non-dominant marginalized groups.

The Impact of Media on Society's Perception towards Disability

In most instances, the media has often sought to indicate that the disabled have limited sexual experiences. Even so, the changes evident in contemporary times indicate an inclination for content producers to depict impaired people enjoying normal relationships like their peers. Elman (2012) explains that the television series entitled Life Goes On that aired from 1989 to 1999 provided an avenue through which the audience could have a fresh perspective with respect to the interactions formed by individuals living with various forms of psychological or physical difficulties. In the show, Down syndrome afflicted the character portrayed and the individual also had to deal with HIV positive status during their teenage years. The content presented showcases an instance where the script developed by the media sought to align with the rights conferred to people living with disabilities in the United States. Additionally, the feature provided some insights with respect to how differently abled individuals embarked on dealing with AIDS at the beginning of the 1990s. As opposed to propagating the narrative that highlighted limited access to information pertaining to sexual-relationships, the program sensitized the masses that disability activism also included sexual education. Furthermore, viewers had an opportunity of understanding that individuals could become part of sexual relationships that adequately met their needs. In so doing, the feature adequately dealt with heteronormative stereotypes in addition to ableist perspectives that predominantly focused on sexuality, the provision of sex education, reproduction processes, marital relationships as well as alliances that involved queer couples. The key subjects evaluated included homophobia, the stigma and fears associated with AIDS, in addition to the concept of an overall limitation in the activities that are mentally or physically impaired person could participate in. Thus, the program provided an avenue for debunking the misconceptions that culminated in the operation of differently-abled individuals while ensuring that they could have access to the sexual justice attainable by members of the general populace.

Conclusion

An evaluation of different articles reveals that the content published by media houses to inform the public or for entertainment purposes extensively determines the resultant attitudes with respect to the disabled. Over the years, the information circulating in public domain from videos, movies or even new stories have often contributed to the stereotypes that have proved challenging for people with different impairments. However, the policies, regulations as well as laws applicable within specific jurisdiction and even internationally have changed to some extent the approach used by media houses and the entertainment industry. Additionally, social media has also contributed to the changes in perspective prevalent in society with respect to the disabled. 

References

Aspler, J., Harding, K. D., & Cascio, M. A. (2022). Representation matters: Race, gender, class, and intersectional representations of autistic and disabled characters on television. Studies in Social Justice, 16(2), 323-348.

Cdc.gov. (2020, September 16). Disability impacts all of us. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html#

Elman, J. P. (2012). Cripping safe sex. Journal of bioethical inquiry, 9(3), 317-326.

Hartley, M. T., Mapes, A. C., Taylor, A., & Bourgeois, P. J. (2016). Digital Media Education and Advocacy: Addressing Attitudes toward Disability on College Campuses. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(3), 239-247.

Maia, R. C., & Vimieiro, A. C. (2015). Recognition and moral progress: A case study about discourses on disability in the media. Political Studies, 63(1), 161-180.

Ö?üç, Ç., & Kasap, F. (2018). The representation of the people with disabilities in the internet publishing: North Cyprus example. Quality & Quantity, 52(2), 1409-1419.

Zhang, L., & Haller, B. (2013). Consuming image: How mass media impact the identity of people with disabilities. Communication Quarterly, 61(3), 319-334.