Shin 2

Research Paper Final Draft

The Media Industry’s Misrepresentation and Discrimination against People with Muscular Dystrophy

Over the past decades, there has been a rise in the number of studies that indicate the extent to which disabled persons have been marginalized in the various spheres of society. However, this has led to questions since this category of people has always been stereotyped. There has been an assumption, people with disabilities have the same experiences, sexual orientation, among other categories of difference. Consequently, more emphasis has been given to “disability,” which has led to the neglect of all other key determinants (Goethals et al., 75). There are many issues, and intersectionality studies have tried to look into various axes of differences. There have been calls to recognize the importance of diversity among disabled persons. Mass media forms a primary part of lives among adolescents, children, and adults. Media has been used primarily for entertainment and distraction. Nonetheless, it has been used to highlight and explore issues regarding education, sexuality, and identity.

The media has been brainwashing boys and girls with information that stigmatizes and marginalize those deemed not fit to appear on social media. Our prejudices towards disabled people are presented in media advertising. The mass media present invisibility through underrepresentation. Many disabled persons lack to feature in the mainstream advertising, which further deepens the existing stigmatization and isolation. It is believed more exposure by media would lead to a positive attitude toward disabled persons. Even so, this assumption has not been well investigated. There has been discrimination among disabled persons in employment. Many organizations with their diverse workplace policies lack to employ this category of people. Evens so, there has been the implementation of progressive laws to promote equity rights for disabled persons. For example, in France, the laws require companies with 20 employees and above to employ 6 percent of disabled persons. Even with these initiatives, there is a large gap in employment between disabled and non-disabled persons. This paper will focus on the media industry’s misrepresentation and discrimination against people with muscular dystrophy who are classified to be among disabled persons. This research will be of great significance since it will contribute to the research on the media industry’s role in the normalization and representation of disabled persons and their visibility. The paper will elucidate on the existing stereotypes by the media industry and discrimination in place.

People with disabilities constitute over 10% of the world’s population; however, they are under-represented in the mainstream media. There are a few disability-specific programs but rarely do we see people with disabilities appear in mainstream programs or the main advertising spots. People living with disabilities are seldom portrayed in the media as part of the diverse population in our society (Herera, 4). More so, they are portrayed negatively when they appear in the media, especially as objects of pity and compassion. Very few individuals with disabilities are employed in the media industry, which should be the best platform to mainstream disability positively. A particular physical physique is considered appropriate for the media industry. People living with disabilities such as muscular dystrophy are often not considered vacancies in the media industry. In the UK, for instance, people living with disabilities make up only 6.5% of on-screen media staff and 5.5% of off-screen staff. This is even though people with disabilities make up 18% of the population in the nation (Ruddick, 1).

The perception of the public and employers towards individuals living with muscular dystrophy is influenced by the physical changes resulting from the condition. Muscular dystrophy is a condition where body muscles degenerate and are weak (Harandi et al. 1). People who are suffering from muscular dystrophy lack dystrophin protein, which helps in normal muscle function. Lack of dystrophin causes weakening of muscles, resulting in muscle coordination, swallowing, and walking.

Given that the media promotes and portrays particular body images as the ideal, people living with muscular dystrophy are therefore less likely to be considered for on-screen job opportunities. The media industry is, however, not an isolated incident. For an extended period, persons living with muscular dystrophy were not treated as equal members of the social order. In academic institutions, religious places, social gatherings, and places of work, individuals with disabilities were often set apart. Historically, persons with disabilities have been treated differently from those who fit into collective averages (Goodley,199). Society is still awash with subtle inclinations that people with disabilities are less human or are not aesthetically pleasing and thus unqualified for the prospects that the public takes for granted. The situation is even worse for people with muscular dystrophy as society is still not familiar with the condition.

Currently, many companies and including media giants, also practice subtle discrimination. This is mainly brought about by the increase in sensitization over diversity. Most companies will have their diversity policies covering different aspects such as gender, race, nationality, economic background, and education status. However, they leave out people living with disabilities from the list. They are therefore reluctant to hire these individuals even though some will be qualified for the positions. According to Rohmer, non-disabled applicants are 1.8 to 3.2 times more likely to receive a favorable response to their application than those living with a disability (128). Despite legislation targeting to reduce the employment gap between the disabled and those who are not, little has changed.

A long-standing promoter of prejudice against people living with disabilities has been the media. This has happened through the portrayal they give to those living with the disability through their coverage and ignoring them (CDC, 1). The range promotes stereotypes while the achievements of those with disabilities are downplayed, and very few are employed in the industry. For instance, only one percent of characters on TV in America have disabilities, while the number of disabled people accounts for 12% of the population (Parsons, 5). The mass media and the entertainment industry play a significant role in promoting negative stereotypes about them. Mass media stirs the stereotyping of people with disabilities through their portrayal of the character. According to Rohmer (Rohmer 127), disability leads to the rise of stereotyping among persons with disabilities. Within the work of context, disabled persons are associated with incompetence and antipathy.

There exist discriminatory stereotypes which are among the prevailing ordeals of comprehending disability. For centuries, there has been a social construct of ability. This has been made to mean able, body, or fine-tuned. In the critical theory of ableism, the discrimination of those that lack ability has been enumerated. In many social life spheres, those with disabilities have been marginalized and excluded (Kolotouchkina et al., 256).

Media representation has been an issue even when it comes to sports coverage. Media plays a significant role since it had been seen to promote the Paralympics. This sport has impacted the attitudes towards disabled individuals. This has promoted inclusion and reduced stereotypes on this category of persons (Kolotouchkina et al., 256). In sports, the Paralympics have been bringing down barriers and stereotypes. The media has been highlighting the growth and globalization of the sport. Given the media is watched by millions of people, it disseminates values to this category of people. These games have been bringing a new perspective of para-athletes, and televisions have aided this. For example, the introduction of channel 4 to air performances of those disabled and not disabled. The hiring of disabled staff followed this. However, the depiction of media is the greatest fall of all progress. In the Paralympic games of 2000 and Beijing 2008, the major newspapers in UK, France, and Germany had a contradictory effect (Kolotouchkina et al., 256). This is because the pictures eliminated visual references of the disabilities. Therefore, there is duality in media coverage on disabled people, making it complex to normalize the representation of disability.

Currently, the media is trying to embrace more persons with disabilities, especially in the entertainment industry. However, the characters featured by people with disabilities are often misleading and play into the existing stereotypes. People who have muscular dystrophy play characters of helpless victims, which is limited to their disability. This depicts that they have little chance of happiness and living an everyday life unless their disability is removed. Instead of being viewed as regular people, they evoke emotions of pity and sympathy from the audience. People with disabilities are included in advertisements that involve challenges and problems they have to overcome and the charity they may need or received.

Figure 1: Effect of Media Portrayal of Persons with Disability

Additionally, the entertainment industry has often portrayed people with disabilities as pitiable, pathetic, a burden, unable to participate in everyday life, an object of curiosity and non-sexual (Öğüç, & Kasap 1410). In some instances, people with disabilities have taken on other counterproductive roles. Many movies have portrayed people with disabilities as evil throughout history and given them the part of villains. Take, for instance, the James bond films and the “Joker.” The portrayal of people with disabilities as evil will present those with disabilities as individuals to be fared and untrustworthy.

Furthermore, people with disabilities are described as innocent and childlike. They are portrayed as being naïve compared to the other characters. This stereotype influence how seriously people living with disabilities are taken in real life. In this perspective, they may be viewed unfit to conduct interviews on-screen or radio regarding politics. More so, people with disabilities are used as a source of cheap laughs for entertainment purposes which negatively affects the public’s perception of disability.

Undoubtedly, stereotypes have shaped the public’s perspectives about people living with a disability. The media’s selective coverage has resulted in the creation of the hero character. This person with a disability is portrayed as a person overcoming all odds. It can be positive but problematic in making disabled people believe that they can only be happy if they are “cured.” They view their state, especially those with muscular dystrophy, as an enemy they should defeat and not just part of their daily lives (Rohmer and Louvet, 4). It limits them and fills them with so much negativity. They end up feeling inadequate, and yet they are more than enough. This also makes those without disabilities believe that they do not necessarily have to accommodate the disabled since they only have to work hard to get better, which is a wrong mentality.

Depicting people with disabilities is counterproductive in repairing the public image since it portrays them as not needing any particular treatment. It makes them feel inferior if they do not have such extraordinary powers. The repeated presentation of characters and images in an acceptable manner leads to the ideas been an example of everyday life. They are revealed as being able to perform under normal circumstances just as those without disabilities. Thus, there may be a lack of equity when it comes to recruitment for positions. Without special considerations, the working environment may not be conducive for working. Although limited visibility in the media may have adverse effects on the perceptions of people living with disabilities, increasing exposure may not produce positive outcomes (Parsons, 3). Thus, it is essential to consider the type of exposure that persons with disabilities receive.

Media plays a significant role in impacting the public on the societal norms. With disabled people seldom being covered in media, they are stereotyped and misrepresented. Media can raise awareness and counter the misinformation that exists (United Nations). More so, media can powerfully change societal misconceptions and present disabled persons as part of human diversity. As such, their integration into the various spheres of life can be effective and successful.

Figure 2: Misrepresentation of people with disabilities in the media

However, the media is not solely to blame for the stigmatization that people living with disabilities experience. In different communities around the world, there are other causes of the stigma. The most common causes of stigma in many communities worldwide include; inadequate knowledge on the grounds of disability and misconceptions about the causes resulting from religious or cultural beliefs. Additionally, there is a poor understanding in some communities about the nature and the abilities of those with disabilities. The attitude and misconceptions are, however, directly linked to the social-economic status. In poor communities, the stigma is higher than in the more affluent ones.

Despite legislation and policies, that has been passed focusing on their inclusion, the employment opportunities for people with disability has not improved. The situation is worse in the media industry, where a particular physical physique is a requirement for an individual to be granted an opportunity, especially in the newsroom. Persons with physical incapacities such as muscular dystrophy are often not considered for various job openings. Additionally, most mass media companies lack the hands-on experience essential to make workstations more accessible to individuals living with muscular dystrophy. People living with disabilities endure conspicuous absences from the mass media industry.

The limited employment opportunities and the stereotypes that people with disabilities undergo have far-reaching effects. These effects include a cycle of poverty and reduction to either small-scale businesses or begging on the streets. Additionally, those with disabilities qualified for job opportunities and do not get them due to their physical incapacities may fall into depression and other mental health conditions (Rohmer and Louvet 8). Therefore, further actions need to be taken to help those with disabilities through employment.

In addition to earning them a living, the employment of individuals with muscular dystrophy will provide a sense of fulfillment. The benefits of paid labor for these individuals include; the engagement in autonomous activities, opportunities to express themselves, and the pleasures of working in unpredictable situations with other strains such as time limits and other pleasant “displeasures.” Such working environments allow individuals to give their best while providing a distraction from the rather unpleasant constant reminder of their physical incapacities (Brown and Moloney 5). This also offers the opportunity to occupy their minds with constructive work and avoid depression and other mental health conditions. To further improve the psychological health of individuals living with disabilities, employers need to give promotions when deserved. Research has shown that rewards that are earned have additional psychological benefits. In the media industry, promoting individuals living with disabilities benefits the individual and those within the organization. It goes a long way to eliminating the stereotypes that are deeply entrenched in society.

It is essential, however, that the work environment is conducive for working. This would include careful consideration of the physical needs of the individuals being provided. Additionally, the colleagues in the workplace need to be sensitized so that they can provide support without being patronizing or demeaning (Sheehan and Ali 102). The work environment should be safe and one that promotes and rewards creative, autonomous work. The figure below shows the conceptual framework for the psychological well-being of individuals with a disability.

Figure 4: Conceptual Model of the Associations between Status characteristics (Work characteristics, working conditions) and psychological well-being. Source: (Brown and Moloney 6)

Consequently, the media should make more positive actions towards disabled persons. The main aim should be to change the behavior and perception of the public towards people living with a disability. One of the influential factors in forming social attitudes and changing people’s perspectives is respectful and responsible media use. Advocacy for people with disabilities can influence people’s attitudes and make them more positive (Dutchman et al. 7). Writing informative news about different types of disabilities and giving positive stories about the achievements of those living with a disability is vital in raising awareness in society (Kasap, Fevzi, and Gürçınar. 560).

Furthermore, airing stories about disabled athletes winning medals, disabled scientists, and disabled politicians are suitable for changing people’s perspectives about disability. Stereotypes on persons living with disabilities such as muscular dystrophy are based on misapprehension and misconstruction that ought to be overcome (Goodley, 206). They are deep-seated in modern-day culture and thrive partially due to the media’s portrayal and communication through media channels. Employing people with disabilities in the media with the proper perspective and storyline could significantly raise community awareness about muscular dystrophy. The attitude of individuals with disabilities in the media industry is wrong, but we can change it (Kolotouchkina et al. 256). The law forbids any discrimination in any aspect of the employment process from hiring, firing, benefits, promotions, and any other activity at work. The direction is clear on protecting people with disabilities; there may be considerable gaps within the media industry regarding their disability reports. These people are hardly ever employed on account of their status. Still, awareness is necessary to change the narrative (Ellis and Goggin, 9).

People with disabilities are more likely to occupy low occupation status even though they are qualified for better positions. For instance, in a media station, a person who does not have muscular dystrophy may be chosen for a lead anchor position over one that has the disability even though they may be less qualified. Thus, people with disabilities will often occupy low positions, get lesser benefits, and have a poor working environment. This increases workplace stress exposure for those living with a disability, further increasing their mental health and psychological disorders (Brown and Moloney7).

It is essential to understand that the intervention to solve the negative perception of people with disabilities will take several levels of intervention. Although the media plays a huge role in informing behaviors and attitudes, other sectors need to come into play to solve the issue. The diagram below (figure 5) shows the different interventions implemented to improve public behavior on disabilities to enhance their job opportunities (Parsons et al. 6). Through the entertainment they provide, media houses and mass media production companies have to pass the message devoid of the stereotypes against people with disabilities (Kolotouchkina et al. 256). The film characters with disabilities need to have traditional roles and portray that although they may appear different, people with disabilities are just ordinary like any other human being (Magliano et al. 192). Additionally, mainstream media houses need to include adverts and messages that promote equity for all human beings, including those living with disabilities.

Figure 5: Behavior change communication model that the media may employ to improve persons living with a disability.

Moreover, community members and leaders should be encouraged to work towards reducing stigma. This can be done through various strategies, including the empowerment of those living with disability and their families. Children living with disabilities must be integrated into the community, and the correct information is spread to counter the misconceptions that exist (Magliano et al., 5). This can be done through interpersonal communication. There should be community-based approaches targeting cultural practices and beliefs. The media will play a critical role in ensuring that people living with disabilities are depicted as ordinary people in the film and television industry (Magliano et al., 261). There should be an increase in the number of individuals living with disabilities taking up new roles and not traditional roles. Lastly, the government should enforce legislation that seeks to provide equitable opportunities for people with disabilities. The legislation also provides that the workplace has to be correctly modified to accommodate those living with disabilities—this including issues to do with remuneration, working environment, and procedures for employment, including affirmative action.

In this view, it was unclear how effective government policies promote equity and protect people living with a disability. Further research needs to be done to identify how well the policies are implemented and enforced. This is because, despite the guidelines that have been in place for up to 20 years in some countries, not much has changed in terms of the employment ratio for people with disabilities.

In conclusion, many people develop their understanding of different disabilities through the examples they view in the media. The media influence the worldview of individuals in the communities and countries from childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The stereotypical depiction of people living with negatively affects the content that disabled individuals can produce even in the age of social media. This is because of the apprehension that persons with disabilities are disabled first, and their humanity is but a second thought (Ross, 672).

People with macular dystrophy, like other people with disabilities, face many social-economic challenges worldwide. These challenges are more often than not related to the stereotypes the communities assign them. The source of the will varies from culture to culture. Still, it is emerging that the mass media is one of the common factors in these errors in perpetuating the stereotypes about people with disabilities. The stereotypes are promoted through the depiction given in the media through characters such as villains, superheroes, and helpless victims at the mercy of others.

Additionally, the mass media and television discriminate against those who have muscular dystrophy due to their lack of physical necessity for appearance in roles like primetime news anchoring and talk shows. The link between various aspects of the media industry, such as advertisement and disability stereotypes, has been enumerated in the paper. Advertisements influence community attitudes towards this category of people. While this study has been grounded on the societal devaluation of disabled persons, further research is needed to understand this complex relationship. It is challenging to separate disability from persons with disability.

In recent years, there have been many strategies that have been put forward to try to promote equity for those with disabilities. This includes policies recommending the employment of individuals with disabilities and facilitating a healthy working environment. Lastly, community participation strategies must be put in place to eliminate cultural stereotypes. The media can change perceptions through accurate and balanced portray of disability. With the right presentation, the media can promote the rights and dignity of disabled persons. Also, public events can provide opportunities to raise awareness.

Works Cited

Caregiving in Relatives of Young People with Muscular Dystrophy.” Journal of Neurology 261.1 (2013): 188-95. Print.

CDC, Centers for Disease Control. “Living with Muscular Dystrophy.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 27, 2020. Web. July 26, 2021.

Ditchman, Nicole et al. “Stigma and intellectual disability: potential application of mental illness research.” Rehabilitation psychology, vol. 58,2 (2013): 206-16. doi:10.1037/a0032466

Duan, Dongsheng et al. “Duchenne muscular dystrophy.” Nature reviews Disease primers, vol. 7,1 13. 18 Feb. 2021, doi:10.1038/s41572-021-00248-3

Ellis, Katie, and Gerard Goggin. Disability and the Media. London Macmillan Education Uk, 2015.

Goodley, Dan. Disability Studies an Interdisciplinary Introduction. Los Angeles London New Delhi Singapore Washington Dc Melbourne Sage, 2017.

Harandi, Vahid M et al. “Antioxidants Reduce Muscular Dystrophy in the dy2J/dy2J Mouse Model of Laminin α2 Chain-Deficient Muscular Dystrophy.” Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,3 244. 18 Mar. 2020, doi:10.3390/antiox9030244

Harmon, Steph. “Beyoncé Casts Model with Muscular Dystrophy to Promote New Products.” The Guardian, The Guardian, July 2, 2018, www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/18/beyonce-casts-model-with-muscular-dystrophy-to-promote-new-products.

Kasap, Fevzi, and Pınar Gürçınar. “Social Exclusion of Life in the Written Media of the Disabilities: The Importance of Media Literacy and Education.” Quality & Quantity, vol. 52, no. S1, 31 Oct. 2017, pp. 557–571, 10.1007/s11135-017-0635-z. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019.

Kolotouchkina, Olga, Carmen Llorente-Barroso, María Luisa García-Guardia, and Juan Pavón. “Disability, Sport, and TELEVISION: Media Visibility and Representation of Paralympic Games in News Programs.” Sustainability 13.1 (2020): 256. Print.

Magliano, Lorenza et al. “Burden, professional support, and social network in families of children and young adults with muscular dystrophies.” Muscle & nerve vol. 52,1 (2015): 13-21. doi:10.1002/mus.24503

Öğüç, Çağdaş, and Fevzi Kasap. “The Representation of the People with Disabilities in the Internet Publishing: North Cyprus Example.” Quality & Quantity, vol. 52, no. S2, 15 Mar. 2018, pp. 1409–1419, 10.1007/s11135-018-0737-2. Accessed 10 Feb. 2020.

Parsons, Alexandria L., et al. “Gendered Ableism: Media Representations and Gender Role Beliefs’ Effect on Perceptions of Disability and Sexuality.” Sexuality and Disability, vol. 35, no. 2, 14 Nov. 2016, pp. 207–225, 10.1007/s11195-016-9464-6.

Rohmer, Odile, and Eva Louvet. “Implicit Stereotyping against People with Disability.” Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, vol. 21, no. 1, 28 Mar. 2016, pp. 127–140, 10.1177/1368430216638536.

Ruddick, Graham. “Disabled People and Over-50s Most Under-represented in Broadcasting.” The Guardian August 23, 2017. Print.

Sebastian Herera. (2018). Increasing and improving portrayal of people with disabilities in the media: European commission https://www.media-diversity.org

Sheehan, Rory, and Afia Ali. “Self-stigma in People with Intellectual Disabilities.” Intellectual Disability and Stigma (2016): 91-109. Print.

UN, United Nations. “Disability and the Media Enable.” United Nations. United Nations, 2018. Web. July 26, 2021.

Uttley, Lesley, Jill Carlton, Helen Buckley Woods, and John Brazier. “A Review of Quality of Life Themes in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for Patients and Carers.” Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 16.1 (2018). Print.

The post Shin 2 Research Paper Final Draft The Media Industry’s Misrepresentation and Discrimination appeared first on PapersSpot.