Disability is not inability
By Donia Zaky | Published by April 13, 2018
Whether it be inclusion in education, performing or teaching, Kean University strives to involve students of all races, religions, cultures, and disabilities, to celebrate the importance of diversity, imitating the vast majority of the American population.
The disabled community– also the largest minority population — suffers from misrepresentation and under representation within the media. Portrayal of various forms of disabilities have been propagated within the media under negative connotations, or depicted incorrectly overall. With media being the immediate means of information, this fact holds unfortunate for the disabled community.
There is a saying that disability is not inability. But, the media has had a long history of treating those with disabilities as unfit. From casting able bodied actors to act disabled, to inefficacious presentations of certain disabilities, Hollywood has failed to portray the reality of impairment.
“Why not cast an actor with a disability to play the role of the lawyer, neighbor, friend, intimate partner, criminal or teacher? They all exist in real life,” said Millie Gonzalez, media relations specialist at Kean University.
The Ruderman Family Foundation, an organization that stresses inclusion of those with disabilities, states that five percent of disabled characters are played by able-bodied actors. In fact, for the past 30 years, Oscar awards and nominations for Best Actors have been given to hale and hearty actors who’ve played disabled.
Although the media is currently entering the dawn of change, there is still much to be done. Taking measures of understanding the disabled community is the first means of remodeling the perception and representation of disabled individuals.
“There are also creative and skilled people with disabilities ready and capable of working behind the scenes in all stages of production,” said Gonzalez.
Therefore, the Reel Abilities Film Festival, created by Anita Altman and Isaac Zablocki, was established to showcase series of award-winning films about– and more importantly– by those who have disabilities.
Following several festivals in New York City in 2012, the Reel Abilities Film Festival branched out to other cities in the United States– New Jersey being one in 2013. A five-day festival was hosted at Kean University, one in 2013 and another in 2014.
“Disability is not a “one size fits all” identity,” said Gonzalez. “The gamut of disabilities represented in the films range from visible, physical disabilities, to cognitive and emotional disabilities.”
Gonzalez informs that there is a saying within the Disability Rights Movement, “Nothing about us, without us.”
Kean University, which is widely recognized for its diverse community, exemplifies this saying. This year, Kean awaits another year of celebrating the disabled community in another Reel Abilities Film Festival. More information is coming soon.