My thesis investigates the relationships between Disabled people in media, and how Disabled roles in television and film have further marginalized Disabled actors and creators.
My main source text is Disabling Imagery and The Media by Colin Barnes, published in 1992. This essay outlines principles of disability representation, common tropes to avoid, and ways to improve representation in the job field. There were 11 qualities listed in creating a character with good representation, and in the 30 years since publishing, they have failed to be met by any major film or television franchise.
For the graphics of section starters and covers, I wanted to use original patterns inspired by Islamic geometry and architecture, emphasizing the interconnectedness of disability rights issues within the greater topic of civil rights.
In this portion of the book, I wrote my own reviews of Disabled characters in popular television and movies. I researched other Disabled academics’ reviews, and watched each one myself before writing this portion.
