Inspiration porn
Inspiration porn is the portrayal of disabled people as inspirational solely or in part on the basis of their disability.[1][2] The term was coined in 2012 by disability rights activist Stella Young in an editorial in Australian Broadcasting Corporation's webzine Ramp Up[3] and further explored in her TEDx Talk.[1] She rejected the idea that disabled people's otherwise ordinary activities should be considered extraordinary solely because of disability.
Criticisms of inspiration porn include that it 'others' disabled people, that it portrays disability as a burden (as opposed to focusing on the societal obstacles that disabled people face), and that reducing disabled people to inspirations dehumanizes them. [4][5]
The 2016 TV show Speechless explored the concept in an episode where it explains inspiration porn as "[the] portrayal of people with disabilities as one dimensional; saying to only exist to warm the hearts and open the minds of able-bodied people."[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b Young, Stella. "Stella Young: I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much | TED Talk". TED.com. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ Heideman, Elizabeth (2 February 2015). ""Inspiration porn is not okay": Disability activists are not impressed with feel-good Super Bowl ads". Salon.com. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Young, Stella (2012-07-03). "We're not here for your inspiration - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
- ^ Rakowitz, Rebecca. "Inspiration porn: A look at the objectification of the disabled community | The Crimson White". The Crimson White. University of Alabama. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Mitchell, Kate (17 July 2017). "On Inspiration Porn". Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ "'Speechless' Just Schooled Everyone On Disability 'Inspiration Porn'". The Huffington Post. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
External links
- stellayoung.com (Archived)
Academic
- Ben Whitburn (2015). "Attending to the Potholes of Disability Scholarship". In Tim Corcoran; Julie White; Ben Whitburn (eds.). Disability Studies. Sense Publishers. pp. 215–224. ISBN 9789463001991.
- Katie Ellis Gerard Goggin (1 February 2015). "Disability Media Participation: Opportunities, Obstacles and Politics". Media International Australia. 154 (1): 78–88. doi:10.1177/1329878X1515400111.
- Rakowitz, Rebecca (2016-12-01). "Inspiration porn: A look at the objectification of the disabled community". University of Alabama. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
Mainstream media
- Perry, David M. (2015-06-02). "inspiration Porn Further Disables the Disabled". America.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
- "Is it OK to call disabled people 'inspirational'? - BBC News". Bbc.com. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
- Jordan, Scott (2014-08-13). "Miracle memes and inspiration porn: Internet viral images demean disabled people". Slate.com. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
- "BBC World Service - BBC Trending, Disability as Inspiration: Positive or Patronising?". Bbc.co.uk. 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
- Perry, David M. (2014-10-15). "Down syndrome isn't just cute". America.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
- Elizabeth Heideman. "Gabby Giffords and the Problem with 'Inspiration Porn'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2017-04-18.