This document discusses stereotypes of disability in television drama. It begins by defining disability and ability, noting that disability means a lack of talent or skillfulness due to an impairment. It then lists common stereotypes of disabled people in media, such as being pitiable, an object of curiosity or violence, sinister or evil, able to triumph over their disability, used for atmosphere or comedy, a burden, or non-sexual. It notes that disabled people are generally underrepresented or portrayed through these stereotypes. Finally, it discusses how media decision-makers and lack of disabled representation in media industries contributes to reliance on stereotypes rather than complex portrayals of disabled people.

1. Learning Objective
IDENTIFY THE STEREOTYPES (HEGEMONIC REPRESENTATION)
OF DISABILITY WITHIN TELEVISION DRAMA.

2. DEFINITION OF ‘DISABILITY’:
A disadvantage or handicap, especially one imposed or recognized by the law.
DEFINITION OF ‘ABILITY’:
Talent, skill, or proficiency in a particular area.
WHAT CHANGES THE WORD ABILITY INTO THE WORD DIS ABILITY?
The prefix dis refers to a Latin prefix meaning 'apart’ or having a negative,
reversing force.
DO IT NOW
ABILITY IS TO BE TALENTED AND SKILLFUL.
THE PREFIX ‘DIS’ MAKES THE MEANING OF DISABILITY THE OPPOSITE
OF THIS = TO NOT BE TALENTED OR SKILLFUL.
Idea of disability is often linked to impairment – idea that
they are lesser people.

3. As you watch the clips, jot down words or phrases which describe the
representation of disability. Our aim is to come up with a list of what
the disability stereotypes are.
Do this under 2 headings:
1. Describing words about how the disabled character looks / acts
2. Relationship with the ‘able’:
- What are they to the able bodied?
- How do the ‘able’ react to them?
- What is their view on themselves / the world?
‘The Street’
HOW THE DISABLED LOOK /ACT RELATIONSHIP WITH ‘THE ABLE’
- Angry - Avoid
- Uncomfortable
- Discriminate against
- Prefer not to be around

6. In his 1991 study, Paul Hunt identified stereotypes that the media use to portray
disabled people:
1. The disabled person as pitiable or pathetic: We should feel sorry for them as they don’t have the ability to do things
like other people.
2. An object of curiosity or violence: Disabled people are shown as helpless, which then leads to them being physically
abused by their abled carers/peers etc…
3. Sinister or evil: The idea that disabled people are angry at themselves and at their disability and so they become
evil.
4. The super cripple/ triumph over tragedy / noble warrior: The ability to overcome and all must do same: they
achieve despite their ability (suggesting that it is an unusual thing for a disabled person to be able to achieve).
OR The disabled person is assigned to super-human, magic-like abilities. For example, blind people are said to have
amazing hearing, and other heightened senses.
5. As atmosphere: Curious or exotica / freak shows / Joker style in horror, sci fi etc.
6. Laughable: There is the stereotype that disabled people are worthy of being laughed at. They are used to make
people laugh.
7. His/her own worst enemy: Disabled people grow to hate themselves, they become their own enemy. This leads us
back to stereotype one, feeling sorry for them.
8. Chip on shoulder / aggressive avenger

7. 9. As a burden / outcast: Reliant on others; they cannot do things for themselves.
10. As Non-sexual: Disabled people are often viewed as non-sexual human beings. They are portrayed as people that
cannot have and sustain a relationship
11. Being unable to participate in daily life: The absence of disabled people in everyday situations. When shown, the
focus is on their impairment.
12. Crip – Drag: Able bodied actors are hired to play disabled characters. An able bodied actor is put into a wheel chair.
The wheelchair allows the character to be obviously disabled while still looking ‘normal’. This allows the audience to
identify with the character like they would an ‘able’ bodied character.
Disabled people are generally under represented on British television; but when
they are it is usually as one of the stereotypes
In most cases disabled characters are introduced not because they are ordinary
people but to suggest precisely the opposite.

8. Disability in the UK
• There are 770,00 disabled
children under the age of 16 in
the UK. That equates to 1 child
in 20.
• Nearly 7 million, or 20% of
people at working age in Great
Britain have a disability.
= There is a significant proportion of the
population who have a disability……

9. What we see, hear and read in the media is often decided and influenced by a small group of
decision makers. These editors, producers, programmers and budget-controllers are swayed by
their own opinions of disability and what they believe will bring in audiences. Historically media
examples containing disabled people have largely conformed to stereotypes. These decision
makers may feel that they are taking a risk by portraying disabled people outside of the
stereotypes which have historically "sold well".
Adding to this problem is the under-representation of disabled people in employment within
the media. A 1998 report "Training and equal opportunities in ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5"
(page 5) reports: "Progress was also uneven and generally slow in the employment of disabled
people"
This under-representation of disabled people within the media workforce has obvious
implications for the power of the disabled community to influence how it is portrayed within
the media. This in turn has an effect on the community at large. Where the media holds a high
level of influence over the perceptions of the general public, an under-representation or mis-
representation of disabled people has large social implications.
AND YET………

10. ANNOTATING THE CLIP: MICRO ANALYSIS
E: Make sure you cover the 4 technical areas
A: Analyse what is signified / the effect of the technical
R: Use media language like stereotype / countertype (tool box sheet)
Include relevant theories like Propp’s character types and stock characters (tool box sheet)
• Is the clip stereotypical? (Hegemonic or pluralistic?)
• What stereotypes are used? Think about the list we made and Paul Hunt’s stereotypes
• Pay close attention to the contrast between the able bodied and disabled and what this tells
you about the representation of disability.
ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO ARGUE ‘SOMEWHAT’.