Why is Disability Representation So White?

#DisabilityTooWhite; a hashtag created by Vilissa Thompson on Twitter to bring attention to the lack of racial diversity in disability representation. #DisabilityTooWhite does not intend to erase the struggles and the ableism that white disabled folks experience, it is merely addressing the issue that the intersection of race and disability is not often addressed and not often represented. #DisabilityTooWhite is a conversation that highlights how as minuscule as disability representation is already, disabled PoC (among other identities, disabled women, disabled LGBT folk, etc), their representation is microscopic!
Confronting the Whitewashing of Disability: www.huffingtonp...
#DisabilityTooWhite Calls Out Media: www.dailydot.co...
On Twitter: / disabilitytoowhite
Sources:
Disabled People of Color Survey: colorwebmag.com...
Disability Visibility Project: disabilityvisi...
Intersection of Disability, Diversity, and Violence: www.tandfonline...
PoC with Disabilities and Violence: www.tandfonline...
Only 12% of Paralympic Tickets Sold: money.cnn.com/2...
Rio Chiefs fear Paralympics Could Fall Flat As Seats Remain Empty:
www.theguardia...
Does Hollywood Ignore the Disabled?: www.everydayhea...
GLAAD Media Diversity: www.glaad.org/f...
New Videos Monday-Friday ‪#WithCaptions Subscribe!
READ MORE BELOW!
**IN THIS VIDEO**
Mic used: amzn.to/2ahAuT5
Camera used: amzn.to/2a5jPCq
My Associate Store: astore.amazon.c...
**SUPPORT THIS CREATOR**
If you enjoy my videos, please consider supporting this channel and/or my medical funds:
Patreon: / annieelainey
PayPal: bit.ly/1D7QYW2
*Currently working on captioning ALL videos, contributions are welcome!
CONTRIBUTE SUBTITLES FOR THIS VIDEO
-Click on the gear in the lower-right corner of the video
-Click "Subtitles/CC"
-Click "Add subtitles/CC
-You can contribute Closed Captions in English or subtitles in ANY other language.
**FIND ME ON THE INTERNET AND LET'S BE FRIENDS!**
/ annesegarra
/ annieelainey
/ annieelainey
/ annieelainey
/ annieelainey
Periscope: AnnieElainey
**ABOUT ME**
Hello, hello! My name is Annie, my pronouns are she/her, and I'm a QWoC, body positive, wheelchair user, disabled and chronically ill person (or "spoonie").
I create videos five days a week (as long as my health allows) usually introspective topics, social topics, sharing my experiences and point of view with/on disability, body image, sex/gender/dating, gender equality, etc, as well as a variety of music/artistic media, tags/challenges, and day-in-the-life vlogs.

[@dutyfreecritic]

I can name a few characters from movies and tv shows , but they're almost always played by an able-bodied person, which is shitty and sad, but unsurprising.

[@brikets5315]

True, but a lot of disabilities include symptoms like fatigue and chronic pain and it almost impossible to work 16 hour days when you have those.

[@theannieelainey]

While that is true, there are also many disabilities where that is not the case, there are also many disabled actors, models, and performers who are physically able to work 16 hour days that are often not even considered when it comes to the hiring process. Even with the symptoms mentioned, it depends on the individual but some work is possible, my fatigue and chronic pain keep me bed bound a lot of the day but I am able to be up/sitting/awake between a few minutes to a couple of hours in order to create content. Disability is not a reason for lack of media visibility and authenticity in representation.

[@minibus9]

yes there are a lot of disabled people who have chronic pain/fatigue issues but there are things that the filmmakers can to do include them, such as design the set in an accessible manner, check the weather and ask the person and a medical specialist how the might affect them I once did a college write up on a play by an inclusive there company which included a deaf cast member (as well as cast members with a host of other disabilities) but to help include the deaf actor they worked on stage positioning so he could lip read so her knew when to enter and exit, whilst I realise that not all deaf people can lip read I do think this is a good example of how things can be done to include people. And if the movie industry can create massive computer engendered dinosaurs and explosions I don't see why they can't make access for disabled actors easier.

[@IdarkphoenixI]

It's almost as if they were acting

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@@minibus9 , Hear! HEAR!!!

[@GeraldScott1951]

As an African American Senior Citizen with a birth defect called Cerebral Palsy, I am very aware of multi-faceted discrimination. I have been discriminated because of race (I grew up in the 50's and 60's), and because of my disability (largely and ironically by many within my own racial group) all of my life. I love the topic that you bring up in this video, Annie, and hope that you further discuss this even the more in future videos... that's how important I think this subject is. I earnestly believe that the two reasons that the tragedy in Japan did not get the same press and attention that many of the others was because it happened to disabled people who were Japanese.

[@theannieelainey]

Thank you so much for sharing that with me, your narrative is so important and I long for a world where it is no longer erased as it is right now.

[@GeraldScott1951]

Sad, but true. Keep on bringing up topics that are otherwise ignored or dismissed, Annie. I am so glad that I subscribed to your channel and appreciate each video that you have posted, thus far.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@@GeraldScott1951, I read you. There is little acceptance from most humans, in My experience especially from those of European descent. It is only worse within the diaspora of *larger communities* of African descent folk because of the much higher standards we must always reach in order to be seen as human and access basic opportunities let alone advanced opportunities in a shadeist society. Bigotry rubs off/is brainwashed by advertising, media/stock photos/memes/physical aesthetics, photograph and motion picture obsessed culture, entertainment, porn, etc. on a majority of those who are stressed and/or worked into the ground or impoverished and deep into the culture they've sunk into, with only anti-scarcity concerns and tactics or relaxation and/or pleasure on their minds when those rare opportunities come 'round. Most humans do not want to make the psychological effort of focused self-education in those moments. Most oppressed and often targeted and abused or discriminated against usually have not been taught to think critically and freely rather than perceive and operate via the indoctrination called "education," compiled and pushed by oppressors (forced assimilationist, slow war/genocide practitioners), as well as the historically inaccurate education and en masse lack of sincere respect, empathy, and compassionate interest we receive, generally, from those who could really help us reach enforced equitable human rights and anti-racism education of all residents, en masse, *if* they *truly wanted* to live up to their "anti-racism" "ally" status. All this because of the *brainwashing of illogical and inhumane, capitalist and classist theory and strategy of 'divide and conquer' European supremacist racism.* I hope that you have friends and lovers or a spouse or whoever you'd like to have in your life, treating you with a good deal of good quality support, care, love, companionship, and full acceptance. All humans should have. Best wishes! :)

[@writeronwheels5594]

When I was little (seven or eight) I thought people from other countries (see: Africa, Asia, India...) didn't have disabled people because I never saw/heard about them. Then I went to a summer camp and there was a camper who's parents immigrated from China and it blew my little second grade mind. Representation matters

[@theannieelainey]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!

[@elusiveillusion1723]

I’ve had people come up to me and say stuff about there not having been as many disabilities “back in the day”. I had to explain how it wasn’t visible cause they were put in “homes” or mental institutions.

[@Idellle]

The minority of the minority.

[@Spectrumability]

As an Asian wheelchair user of an immigrant family, this video makes a lot of great points. I face a lot of cultural differences involving disability as a result, and so do a few friends in the same situation. It's not something that gets a lot of attention at all. -AC

[@lauratate7599]

Your videos are great- thoughtful, nuanced, and heartfelt. I have shared them with students in a university class that I have been teaching this year, on planning for multiple publics. Thank you for helping us all to gain better understanding.

[@BickylaBiscuit]

YES ANNIE YES ANNIE!!!!! I've wanted to make a video like this for ages, can't wait to join the #DisabilityTooWhite conversation on KZbin xxx

[@bekahchu4102]

Honestly I could name 3 and they were all POC but they were from an animated series, one was Toph Beifong a blind fighter from A:TLA, then Teo a minor character who is in a wheelchair, and then Ming-Hua in Korra who is a villain she has no arms.

[@Rithene]

Don't forget Sparky-Sparky Boom Man (double amputee), and Korra herself, who for part of the series struggles with PTSD, depression, and...idk paralysis? Not exactly well-explained, that bit. However, literally every disabled character in Avatar has some magical or technological way to compensate for their disabilities, so they're not exactly what you would call stellar representation.

[@JustTeaForMeThanks]

One disabled POC character that did come to mind for me was the grandfather in _Spy Kids 2_ and 3, played by Ricardo Montalban (aka the original Khan in _Star Trek_) - a rare instance of a disabled actor actually playing a disabled character. However in that instance the role was created specifically for him by director Robert Rodriguez, so it could be viewed as more of a (previously able-bodied) actor being fancast thing - although you could also argue it proves that diversity in directors leads to diversity in roles too. On a separate note, I don't know if you know this but the Paralympics have actually become much more mainstream in England since the 2012 Games! This is largely because during those Games, the channel that covered them also had a segment called _The Last Leg_ hosted by disabled comedians Adam Hills and Alex Brooker and able bodied comedian Josh Widdicombe where they interviewed Paralympians and discussed and answered questions able-bodied people weren't sure they could ask about disability, using the hashtag #isitok on twitter. The show really took off and became its own topical comedy show after the Games were over, with the hosts continuing to discuss current events in the news, answer questions people had about sensitive topics using the #isitok hashtag, and often having disabled guests. Because of their popularity, this year's Paralympics were very highly publicized in the UK using the amazing Yes I Can/Superhumans advertising campaign (kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6DGfZ6haMaMos0 if you haven't seen it), and a lot of people tuned in to the general coverage as well as _The Last Leg_'s nightly hour-long overview of the day's events. So although unfortunately it's still very much through a straight white male lens, disability awareness and Paralympics coverage has been increasing somewhat in the past few years. This is all from an able-bodied white person, so feel free to tell me to stay in my lane/call me out if anything I've said here is offensive, and if you already did know about _The Last Leg_ sorry for the mini-essay!

[@Cy_Cyborg]

I'm kind of shocked that I hadn't even heard about the attack on the group home (though I probably shouldn't be at this stage). My Facebook feed was filled for months about the pulse night club shooting but I didn't hear a thing about this. that's heart-breaking

[@orkesiarandle9033]

I like what you are doing, raising awareness is educating the world of what's invisible and unfair. Thank you!

[@OtakuGunsoNY]

This video is such a mood right now. Its unfortunate that many people of color don't get diagnosed or are often diagnosed late ...

[@MrApplewine]

Race is a social construct.

[@raemellechilds9078]

Thank you for sharing this. I as well as a few other black dyslexic people. We have stories to tell, but no one will listen. Dyslexia, it’s a invisible disability; you can’t see it with your bare eyes. You will be hearing more from me in the near future. Thanks again for this video. It was very enlightening.

[@marygeorge96]

There's actually a soap opera here in the UK with a character with EDS, played by a woman who actually has EDS! She's in a powered wheelchair and is in a relationship in the show! I don't watch it myself but the actor's name is Cherylee Houston and the show is Coronation Street, if you're interested.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@Mary, Indeed, I've seen here there and in other productions. There are several other wheelchair-bound actors in professional productions, globally. However, the actor you mentioned is a woman of European descent, not a PoC and that is the focus of this video. :)

[@fantaghiro1389]

Here in Brasil we haved a TV show called Pedro and Bianca that included two characters in a wheel chair, one black, called Raul, and one white, called Xavier. The boy who played Xavier was a real wheel chair user.

[@dacrayzblaze1]

Avatar the last Airbender has Toph, who is blind and Teo who is a wheelchair user! And you would be able to describe the characters in ATLA as POC!=]

[@arcanaandtheimaginarians]

As a mixed queer disabled white seeming two spirited indigenous/native person who's been thinking of getting a wheelchair for chronic fatigue and is HoH/has APD, who is planning on getting a multipurpose psychiatric service dog and is also autistic and is a DID system among other things, I don't even think I've EVER seen Native disabled characters onscreen and it's awful!

[@chapstickaddict435]

Stevie from Malcom in the Middle.

[@gh0stbat110]

I can’t believe I’ve never heard about the horrible event of someone murdering people at the disability home. How can i be more updated on this news? Where do I look/listen? And how can I help as an able bodied ally?

[@MadilynnKlein]

Hey Annie! I'm still at the beginning of the video around the minute mark - but i noticed that (I think??) you're standing! (Again, I think! ) I'm really happy that you had the spoons to do that for all of the filming of this.

[@theannieelainey]

Haha! Definitely not for the whole video, I have a secret chair below me/out of frame. (Secret's out) I am either leaning and have my worse leg with knee resting on the chair, or sometimes I was sitting on both my knees on the chair, but I really wanted to have my torso elongated for this video so I could get more air instead of having a tight diaphragm from the sitting position. Also just practicing walking around the house, but still with my minute limits :)

[@Smoke3380]

So if youre whole identity is being disabled, why would you attempt to misrepresent yourself? For adulation? To virtue signal? To look superior to other fellow disabled people?

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@@Smoke3380 , *Damn!* And, ..."whole identity"? How do you know for a fact that she doesn't identify as anything else, including human?

[@ettinakitten5047]

The only disabled character of color I can think of is that Deaf Latina lesbian girl who goes to Carlton in Switched at Birth.

[@ettinakitten5047]

Oh, and for nonfiction, most of the disabled POC I've seen in media were in the Sesame Street and Autism initiative.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

- Ernie Hudson's character in the film 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle' - Lenny Henry's character in the final/third season of Kay Mellor's television series 'The Syndicate' - The main character in the film 'Margarita With a Straw' - Drake Graham's character in 'Degrassi High'

[@dpmentzer]

It must depend on where you live. I'm in Northern Virginia and even the school counselor pointed out that kids of color with all the challenges they are perceived to have, get an easier time for extra official legal support than my mixed race child of color (definitely has color but his father is white). So around here, at least in school, it seems just the opposite - you have a white parent (who is disabled - me) so you should be able to get help on your own these other kids can't so suck it up and pay for expensive private help because you have a white parent (again, disabled and not affluent). I could make a hashtag for the few kids in the country in our situation, but I don't think adding race to the topic is going to help my kids of color much less combining each unique variety into a hashtag. As a white disabled person, there were many other hashtags that could have been made that aren't offensive to disabled whites?

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@David Mentzer, "Offensive"? It is your *own upheld culture* of the theory and strategies of *European supremacist racism* that has negatively affected you and your child. This video was very necessary on an authentically yet completely inhumane and illogical and unnecessarily damaging, persistent issue. I feel for your situation and child especially, but, *damn, not everything can be in support or pleasing or uplifting of the emotional feelings of those of European descent.* I suggest composing an open letter and sending it to all of your local and state politicians and posting and sharing it online -- but, in a realistic, rational way composed, not in an emotional way, respecting the FACT that because of the dinosaur 'divide and conquer' capitalist and classist theory and strategy of European supremacist racism that requires more focus toward equitable human rights. It is incredibly important as the discrimination and hardships of being a member of multiple minority groups are *compounded for such humans,* living in such a primitive society that chooses to believe and act horrendously upon dishonest, archaic, man-made theories for their longterm benefit against all the evidence that it is untrue and destructive to ALL -- destroying their OWN along the way as well. I hope you can identify with that. *All members of marginalised groups must leave our perceived differences at the door* and *unite now* because *much harder times are around the corner.* *Best wishes* toward finding a way to ease the strain (intentional households are something you may wish to consider and look into to save money and provide more assistance with many household issues that can come up and may be more difficult for you to accomplish on your own as well as supportive companionship, simultaneously), and finding a way to help to alter the particular political and cultural issues that you and your child face but shouldn't be made to.

[@denicehopkins1315]

Love it. As a black women living with CP its nice to know that its not just m e seeing this. That other people see the same thing that I see everyday in the media. I didn't know about the group home burning down because the media didn't cover it, because these disabled people were not thought of as valued people.. But the LGBTQ community they are valued, and I wonder when will it be our turn? As a black woman with a disability its not enough that I see me only as a black woman when I show up on screen, I want to see the whole me who is smart, kind, loving, and sexy, and she just so happens dose and is all those things while in a wheelchair.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

*Hear! HEAR!!! :)*

[@captainchaos3053]

I must admit that I would never of imagined that this was an issue.

[@joebloggs9957]

But why?

[@ethanmurphy2403]

because it's not one. In todays society people will look to create issues for other people. I don't understand. There are real pressing issues out in the world, but for some reason the "issue" of people of color being portrayed with disabilities in media is somehow a driving issue for others

[@adamguymon7096]

Talking abut the Para-Olympics in the state of Utah when we had the 2002 Olympics the regular Olympic games tickets were way too "EXPENSIVE" for most people and the only I was able to enjoy the open and closing ceremonies is someone gave me a ticket, but the transportation to most of the Olympic games was FREE! When it came to the Para-Olympics the tickets were FREE but if you couldn't drive yourself up to them and had to take some form of "Transportation" it cost over 300.00+ dollars to do so round trip. People don't realize that Disability and Poverty go Hand in Hand. This wasn't the entire story. If you lived in the Salt Lake Valley the TRAX (Light Rail System) and buses ran 24/7 but I at that time lived in Ogden Utah about 48 miles north of Salt Lake City Utah. The buses that would get me home stopped early and the last time I could catch a bus from downtown Salt Lake to get home to Ogden was no later than 8:15 PM to catch that last 603 bus at 10:15 which got me about 5 blocks from home but I had to drive my 4 wheeled electric mobility scooter up hill and have had it die on many occasions in the middle of the street. The only way I got home from the open and closing ceremonies is I had to find someone who worked for the Olympic venues that came from California and they were willing to lift me out of my scooter into the front seat of their vehicle and lift my scooter in the bavk. They drove me home from Salt Lake to Ogden. Most people don't realize that PWD almost always have to leave an event early or arrive late because public transit is not designed to be a right but it is treated like a corporate privilege. The second thing is even in the disability community there can be a lot of Ableism thrown around. Unfortunately there are some PWD that can say that their disability is more significant and real than someone else's. In both realms the disability and non disability communities there are people that will say that you aren't disabled if you don't have the text book symptoms or you don't look "DISABLED"! It is so hard everyday having to always "Prove" that your disabled and just because you may not have that "Text Book" Diagnosis and/or "Look" like the typical Disabled Person with the twisted crippled hand or body that shakes and can't speak very well. We are told that if we are disabled than we can't do certain things or that we shouldn't be able to do things. This includes saying to some with a disability, "If you are in a wheelchair you can't help someone else in a wheelchair and/or if you are in a wheelchair you can't get out of your wheelchair or you are considered a FAKER"! The Third thing is that non disabled people are willing to help us when it looks good to other non disabled people looking like we are fragile and helpless but when non disabled people don't want to help us they tell us to pull our boots up by our bootstraps and work harder. We are even told that we are lucky to get what we do get and we should be so lucky that non disabled people work so hard to pay the taxes that give us our very limited income and the restrictions with it. We are not allowed to "SAVE" Money and if we do or we "WORK" we are "PUNISHED" for it! On top of it all if we do work in certain settings such as a "Disabled Sweatshop" aka Tax Sheltered Workshops where we can be paid (Sub-Minim-Wage). You still can lose some or all of your benefits and you are not the one that is "Sheltered" it's the disabled sweatshop that is sheltered. Most people with disabilities who can't work the typical 9-5, 5 day's a week are usually sent to these types of places. Most non disabled people don't realize that PWD People With Disabilities have to work 10+ times harder to do the same job that a non disabled person can do at ease? Yes we do. Just imagine picking up a feather? Where you as a non disabled person can pick that feather up without any problem but the person with disabilities to pick up that same feather it is as if they are picking up a ton of bricks. But yet we get paid less and are always having to prove ourselves and our disabilities. These are real things that happen everyday to PWD and if you are a person of color it only gets worse. You are not only discriminated on your color of skin or your gender but something that will hit ALL people is DISABILITY! A Disability doesn't care about your skin color, your gender or even your income. A Disability doesn't care about you but it will get you. Even if you don't have one it is the club that most people will join in their lives whether they want to or not. It may not seam like that ramp is very important or it is a big deal that the ADA section at the concert is at the back of the seats so when the able bodied people are standing in the seats in front of the ADA section that people with disabilities can't see the stage and the artist or even the able bodied person who has no problem taking that last hotel room or that apartment that is designed for a PWD the ADA Unite. If you are an able body person but you can't see past these things and you think that it is okay that all people deserve the same access or when some people think that Wheelchair Accessibility at a theme park is that you can park your chair 5 or 10 feet away, walk to and from the ride and step up or down in the ride then that ride is wheelchair accessible? There are many day's where I just wish and pray that I can get a diagnosis after getting a test from in the past where I have had tests done to me and the doctor comes back with, "The test came out (NORMAL)"! I still have the pain, struggles and symptoms but for years never felt that I was treated like what I said was valid and just because it didn't follow what the Doctors Text Book said I like many people are DENIED the services that we have every right to and need. It sucks when we have to watch the Olympic Games on TV while they are right in our backyard when we should of had the same ability to be their in person. That is so extremely Shameful and all of the other forms of discrimination that goes along with that. Next time you think that People With Disabilities are not very important you better think twice.

[@Rithene]

I would be interested to see if this is related to the War on Drugs. White people have a long history of assuming that people of other races (esp. black people) don't experience pain to the same extent (mostly in order to excuse the horrific conditions of slavery), but also, it's often assumed that PoC are more likely to abuse drugs, even though that is...just not true at all. So I wonder if PoC's disabilities get dismissed more often because doctors assume right off the bat that they're just looking for drugs.

[@kaydens.3977]

possibly, I could see that happening in an ER often. I mean, I've gotten accused of drug seeking and I don't even deal with the racial profiling that disabled POC do.

[@Rithene]

Yeah, I've heard a lot of people saying that they've had that experience, so this video just made me wonder if race factors into it. Unfortunately, I don't think that anyone's actually researching this, so I don't know how you'd find out if this were the case. But there's a ridiculous fear of people getting drugs, so the reaction is to withhold them instead of provide help for people who are actually addicted, and since black and Latinx people are disproportionally targeted by the War on Drugs attitude, it seems likely, from a logical if not empirical position, that disabled PoC would have a harder time getting access to needed painkillers.

[@theannieelainey]

There are a couple articles mentioned by headline in the video and links in the description, people are drawing more attention to it now, it's being researched and called out that prejudice against race labels disabled PoC as drug abusers or exaggerators because they are believed to feel less pain than white people, so they are neglected in the medical system.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@Rithene, ABSOLUTELY they do. When PoW, especially those of African or partial African descent and Indigenous North American descent and Indigenous Australian descent, are provided too little anesthetic then laughed at when screaming in agony after a day-surgical procedure is purposefully executed with a half-dose of anesthetic, or treated badly because a hospital emergency room physician believes a patient's faint scars from a skin disorder are in their mind intervenous needle marks (and therefore the physician has the inherent right to look down their nose at drug addicts or users or anyone who is ill in other words), etc..., retrieve their medical records and read all of the notes they are often shocked at the lack of professionalism and cruelty and bigotry written in willfully ignorant classism, racism, ableism, misogyny, bi/pan/homophobia/nonbinary/transphobia about their aesthetic appearance/fashion sense/hygiene and perceived personality and lifestyle and supposed drug and pain scams, etc. Composed by the very physicians they believe they can and should trust with their well-being. *It is absolutely disgusting,* especially when it happens to you, personally. Good 'ole *capitalist* arrogance, ableism, classism, racism, shadeism, colourism, misogyny/patriarchy/male supremacist sexism and other *societal divide and conquer theories and strategies* that most able-bodied folk refuse to assist us toward equitable human rights and human decency. For shame, the lot of them!

[@Frillabilityofficial]

hey there, checking in as a non-white Ambassador for Abilities Expo, national convention for the disability community, and IZ Adaptive who frequently uses non-white models :) another of our Ambassadors, Lolo, has a great channel called Sitting Pretty, as well I agree with you completely, just trying to spread the love!

[@summerloops]

Very great video. Really appreciate this and am sharing it with my friends.

[@brokenquill9277]

The only person I can think of Jake from Becker.

[@mikasjewels5772]

So important.

[@wheelieblind]

this gives me ideas for just youtube videos that do what tv will probably never do... with actors and musicians, eeh youtube would probably end up blocking my content from showing up or however you wanna put it.*sighs* I think sports for the physically handicapped should be put up on youtube I would watch it, but youtube would probably block that from showing up when I search too.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@Wheelie Blind, *Hear! HEAR!!!* Please don't allow conservatism and capitalism and classism and bigotry to stop you! Yes, *please write* your performance art and comic and drama and musical scripts and produce and upload them! Many of us want to *see ourselves and our lives represented realistically* as well as entertainingly, and *educationally for all! *Best wishes* toward your work and health and happiness when you're *fortunate enough to experience it! :) :) :)*

[@jreddoch1]

When these writers are making their little "diverse" characters they start with a default and then make one change. So race, nationality, religion, disability, etc. It's a result of their biased worldview.

[@tedryan4610]

Fantastic video, as a disabled screenwriter I find it incredibly infuriating the lack of representation on TV and film - especially when the characters aren't fully fleshed out individuals but treated as tokenism. You've articulated your thoughts perfectly and I completely agree with all your points.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

@Ted Ryan, How *terrific* to notice your comment mentioning you are a screenwriter living with disabilities! I would like to become an *activist social realism* screenplay co-writer and presently seeking someone to do that with in the not-too-distant future *if compatible.* Can you recommend a networking screenwriter's site (or created for all types of writing) where I can attempt to locate individuals who are likewise seeking a co-writer, please? Thanks in advance, if so. *Best wishes* toward your career and health! :)

[@heatherreading2369]

The first character that popped into my head was the comic book version of Professor X, aka Prof Charles Xavier from the X-Men series. Can't tell that I'm a bit of a geek can you?

[@serinadelmar6012]

#DisabilityTooStraight

[@anthonyj1993]

Well, this lady is the absolute worst. I’m very disabled and she makes us look bad.

[@lildork9181]

I have a learning disability I hate Labels my cousins and sisters make fun of me they bring me down

[@janedoe3209]

ignore them they should be bringing you up

[@lildork9181]

Jane Doe true and thanks

[@criseydegraham2112]

First character garret from super store lol

[@amyclarke41]

yes good point

[@theoutsiderfiles7539]

Good point. Well made!

[@dmytrom297]

Does chinese supper accurate movie about autism count? (“Ocean heaven”)

[@Hevertt66790]

The movie Ray played by Jamie Foxx

[@elusiveillusion1723]

What’s sad is a lot of those are able bodied actors. Why not hire the “differently abled” actors and actresses?! 🤔

[@pandaamachine]

Disability isn’t represented at all. Like it’s not even there yet. And the examples you gave, like Forest Gump, are more examples of ableism in popular culture than real representations of disability.

[@m3mphis_chick944]

Who are some famous people of colour with disabilities?

[@chapstickaddict435]

Honestly, I am at a point where I feel society doesnt give a shit about us. I am white.

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

Hear! HEAR!!!

[@jayjaylito1606]

War machine

[@OakleyANDSittingBull]

Hear! HEAR!!!

[@juliowalterojedacaceres1619]

Todd from comitted

[@juliowalterojedacaceres1619]

maybe sound stupid, but i think that the lgbt comunity won his place in the spot after a long time of struggle been invicible , i guess we must do the same until we get our spot. im a spanish Speaker sorry if i dont wrote this well

[@janedoe3209]

i dont think the 2 tragedies are comparable and i dont think annie is trying to say that either but rather highlight that each tragedy is heartbreaking and shouldve received the same amount of attention

[@corbonthec0b]

yikes

[@BNL07604]

Take it or leave it, but IMO white disability representation is better than no representation at all. I do get what you're saying, but if it takes white people w/ disabilities to drill sense into non-disabled heads, go for it.

[@janedoe3209]

but the point of the video is it's not. poc are literally getting misdiagnosed or not treated or even recognized for specific disabilities because their families or even in scarier cases medical professionals treating them simply dont believe that disability effects poc. this video is not the first time this month alone that ive had to hear how some black families insist their children or other loved ones and relatives don't have a disability becuz '' thats a white ppl thing, he aight he just a lil different dont make it a whole thing now '' poc representation of the disabled is MANDATORY and OBLIGATORY.

[@trohnjavolta9330]

you need to delete and rerecord all of your videos where you are using the term "disabled" as the proper term is "differently abled"

[@MissSun23]

no. just. no. no disabled person (or a little, very little number) loves the term differently abled. this term was coined by non-disabled people who think they know better than us and ultimately are wrong. disabled isn't a dirty word. disabled is us

[@sirman6356]

So much talking with nothing of value to say