The end of the year is a time to reflect on the progress made and take stock ready for setting goals for the upcoming year. I came across this article that highlights that there is only 6% of disability representation on screen in the US, when people with disabilities make up 24% in the US.
In 2023, I have enjoyed shows like All the Light I cannot See and heard about disabled talent in Dr Who, however, these are still the exceptions. Without representation, disabled people are still misunderstood and to be feared. Representation is needed to improve psychological safety and remove fear of disability.
I would like to see more and more disability representation in 2024 and hope to be able to reflect in a years' time and say, yes there was significant steps forward. As you settle down for TV and Film over the holiday season, take a moment to look for content with disability representation. Let's increase our awarenes and make 2024 ever more inclusive.
As 2023 ends, many publications will highlight the best-and-worst movies and TV shows released over the past year. From the highly-covered counterprogramming of “Barbenheimer” to the critically panned show “Velma,” the exhausting number of Top 10 lists that we will see in our feeds this month seek to determine the releases that stood out the most on both ends of the entertainment spectrum. However, I am not here to discuss the quality of the movies and shows that we have been fed this year. Rather, I believe it is essential to talk about the systemic lack of representation of disabilities in media that has sadly continued into the first quarter of the 21st century.
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