5/2/2023 0 Comments Disable facebook photo theater![]() The greatest misconceptions that come from this ideology are those which take into account only the surface of a person, and given society’s unhealthy obsession with body image and looks, it unfortunately makes sense that those with disabilities and without are forced into an us/them dichotomy. These are inherently human characteristics for which we should all be judged, rather than our physical or mental state.Ī classic example of inspiration porn |Photo Credits PixabayĪppearance plays an important role in maintaining stereotypes under the social model: it’s the first aspect of anyone or anything we notice. It also suggests that someone is automatically special if they have a disability, no matter what they’ve achieved or their morality and value systems. Bringing attention to the situation actually calls out the disability, implying that it’s the disability that matters rather than the person. While many think that calling a person with a disability ‘inspiring’-even though whatever they’re participating in would be normal for an able-bodied person in the same situation-will give that person confidence, will enhance their self-esteem, or is just a “nice” thing to do, it’s harmful. Another part of this lies in the fact that society glorifies as exemplary a disabled person’s doing something other than sitting in their house and ruminating on their struggles. One of the more well-known stereotypes subscribed to by both the average person and the media is that those with any form of disability are “inspiration porn” they exist merely to make those without a disability feel better about their own lives. This model is where common misconceptions and stereotypes come from and where ableism begins, all of which have become problems in themselves as society perpetuates them. The medical model is used both by those who are able-bodied and those who are not it is based on the notion that disability is an impairment or limitation that must be fixed or cured in some way so that normalcy can be achieved. This idea is reinforced in Emma Maclean’s article ‘Freak, Out! Disability Representation in Theatre’,² which claims that society accepts disabled individuals conditionally and that “there are times, places and situations where disabled people are allowed to exist”. Therefore, no one is disabled because of medical issues but because society deems it so. The social model claims that society causes disability ideologically by adhering to the needs of the able-bodied and ignoring the needs of the disabled. Disability theory has produced two models of how society views disability: the social model and the medical model. If disabled individuals were able to participate fully in the world of theatre without being subjected to negative portrayals and stigmas, the theatre and the art of performance would be positively reimagined to showcase the experiences and talents of the disabled community and thereby be a societal model for change and inclusion for the same community and, eventually, other marginalized groups.Īddressing society’s treatment of disability is the first key to unlocking the reasoning behind the slow advancement of inclusion. It is true that there has been an increase in acting companies, theaters, and playwrights beginning to view disability as a valuable asset to the theatre world, but they are still in the minority, and not all have intentions that benefit the very people they are trying to represent. While the thought of exclusion in a politically fraught time such as this can be terrifying, it must be critically explored if there is any hope for inclusion. This means that one in five people have some sort of disability,¹ making us the largest minority in the United States. The group first forced to put their bodies on display, and then pushed to the side, and now criticized for those bodies are individuals with disabilities, who make up 19 percent of America’s population. ![]() But there persists considerable group exclusion, which is surprising given how theatre strives to be open-minded and has launched a variety of movements. Historically, this has not been the case over time, however, change has come, and theatre has made significant and important advances. Stories connect us, and theatre is the most versatile form by which to achieve this connection, so it should be second nature for the stories it produces to be as varied and complex as the people it represents. From theatre professionals and academics to audience members seeing live theatre for the first time, all share the pleasure of being part of a story, whether by viewing it, participating in its creation, or analyzing it. In its simplest form, theatre is storytelling. AXIS Dance Company members Sonsherée Giles and Rodney Bell perform an award-winning dance piece by Joe Goode in 2008.
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