The coveted positioning on the human axis: disabled persons' experiences with their representations
Amit Kama, The Open University of Israel
Abstract
Researchers recently voice dissatisfaction with the existing body of scholarly work that, while focusing on stereotypes of disabled persons in various media, ignores the reception of disabling images by those who are acutely affected by them. So far, except for three studies, there is no empirical corpus dealing with media reception by disabled persons. The present research was thus meant to tackle this empirical challenge. Thirty Israeli persons with various physical impairments were asked to unfold their most memorable interactions with mass mediated images of disability. Two stereotypes are discussed and elaborated in this paper: The Supercrip and the Miserable Handicapped.
The interviewees seek examples that may corroborate their belief that physical, social, and cultural obstacles can be overcome. In contrast to the criticism found in the literature, they express a yearning for representations of disabled persons who are 'above and beyond'. These Supercrips serve as role models. Highly regarded supercrips embody but one instance, 'regular' (i.e., 'someone just like me') people are especially coveted. Publicly known successful disabled persons are put on a pedestal of admiration for their demonstrated power to triumph. This triumph is used to validate the disabled individual's self as well as to alter societal attitudes. Consequently, yearning for disabled persons who 'have done it' is particularly passionate; while, on the other hand, pitiful, miserable representations trigger loathing because they reproduce and bolster disabled persons' inferior positionality and exclusion. The informants deeply detest the miserable image and are not willing to play the seemingly 'natural' role-as if wretchedness is an inherent outcome of having a corporal impairment-our culture allocates for them.. The prevalent image of miserableness reproduces a quasi-human state. The objects of this approach are not willing to forgive this portrayal.
To sum up, I would like to propose an axis of humanity where disabled people are located on either pole, but never at its 'normal' center. They are either 'more than human' or 'less than human', but seldom do they enter the public sphere as 'regular' people performing 'regular' tasks. To the interviewees' chagrin, the media do not let go of the crippling stereotypes that situate disabled persons as wretched creatures doomed for misery.