I feel we are in a time where there’s a large push for inclusion. Whether it be women, people of color or the LGBTQA+ community, everyone is striving to have their voices heard. And that’s wonderful, as I’ve definitely noticed a shift among the general population to be more accepting.
But, where does disability come into play? There are approximately 61 million adults in the United States living with a disability, making up about 26% of the population, according to this infographic from the CDC (which has text at the bottom of the page, listing all the information from the graphic for those who are unable to see it). The image goes further to breakdown the types of disability that affect those in the United States, and continues on to add that disability is especially prevalent in the following groups:
- 2 in 5 adults aged 65 or older
- 1 in 4 women
- 2 in 5 Non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives
And that’s only the United States. The CDC’s research doesn’t go on to cover those who live with a disability throughout the entire world.
There are barriers in access to healthcare, proper education, and employment. There’s always been a stigma surrounding those with disabilities. Whenever I see something on the news that centers around a child or adult with a disability, they’re always seen as an “inspiration,” overcoming/doing something “in spite of” their disability. They’re not seen as normal people who just so happen to maybe need a little more assistance doing something, or are going about their daily lives with different tools to aid them.
But I would like to take a look at the media’s portrayal of those with disabilities, specifically blindness. The CW, a television network owned by Warner Bros./Warner Media, has a new show coming out next week called In the Dark. Here is the synopsis as per Google:
Blind 20-something Murphy is drifting through life in a haze of drunkenness, and her only friends are her understanding roommate Jess and Tyson, a sweet teenager she met when he saved her from a violent mugging. Murphy’s life is turned upside down when, while out for a walk with her guide dog, she stumbles upon what she is certain is Tyson’s lifeless body in the alley outside her apartment. When the body disappears by the time the police arrive, and they don’t seem inclined to investigate, Murphy clings onto the only thing that can keep her together: figuring out what happened to her friend.
The show premieres Thursday, April 4th at 9pm Eastern, and has already garnered backlash from people in the blindness community—most notably, the National Federation of the Blind, an organization made up of blind and visually impaired individuals across the United States and Puerto Rico. In the Dark stars Perry Mattfeld, known for playing Mel on the U.S. version of Shameless. While her character Murphy, is blind, Mattfeld herself is sighted.
Similar to Daredevil’s Charlie Cox playing a man who is blind (and a vigilante, no less), Mattfeld is yet another able-bodied person cast in a role as a person with a disability. I can see why The CW may have wanted to go with a more known actress for their lead, and internet research does point to other actors who are blind or visually impaired having supporting roles in the show, but this still goes to show that more representation of people with disabilities is needed in the media.
Marilee Talkington, for example, is an award-winning actress, writer, and director, who also happens to be legally blind. As per her IMDb, she has starred in a handful of television series and shorts, where she portrayed a sighted person in 99% of her roles. Notably she played Annie Barth in the 350th NCIS episode “Unseen,” as well as Maren Thompson in the New Amsterdam episode “Amina Sola.” She is set to play Kimmy in the pilot of In the Dark, and is currently filming a TV show entitled See for Apple TV+, Apple’s digital streaming service.
As per Sara Ruiz-Grossman’s article in Huffpost yesterday, representation of people with disabilities is seriously lacking in the media. More so, accurate representations. I don’t know a single person with a disability who wants to constantly be seen as an inspiration to those around them, or be talked down to or receive condescending comments because we’re seen as being “different.” What is normal? An able-bodied individual? A person who doesn’t identify themselves as LGBTQA+? We’re all unique in our own ways, and people with disabilities should be allowed to play themselves in TV and movies. If not for our own satisfaction, then for the kids who are currently growing up with disabilities so they can see themselves in the media, akin to Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse bringing in a main-role Spiderman who’s also a person of color.
Ruiz-Grossman’s article states the following:
… There should be 1 in 4 people “both in front of and behind the camera” with disabilities ― which would match the 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. who live with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I’m a person with a visual impairment and have done some very minor acting in the past, mainly in plays in high school. But I have friends who are also have low vision and are trying to break into the film industry, in both acting and directing roles. I think it’s time that Hollywood starts to see people with disabilities as actual, viable candidates for those roles, as opposed to hiring an able-bodied actor to do the same thing. It would certainly give people in the disabled community more jobs, which would be lovely considering the high unemployment rate. And not only would these people be employed, but they would give the community a broader exposure to people with disabilities, as opposed to the television and film industries going off of old, stale stereotypes. Hopefully, by gaining more accurate portrayals and representations, we can eventually start to remove the stigma that constantly surrounds people with disabilities.