The Voiceless Minority

Photo Credit: shutterstock-entertainmentdaily.com                                                                                                  Recently, I wrote an article about how the word 'disability' is not a dirty word; however, for some people, the language they use to describe their disability is just as empowering as the word' disability. Whether you call it a disability or a difference, embracing it is key. British actor Arthur Hughes refers to his disability as an upper limb difference because he has radial dysplasia. Radial dysplasia is a disability in which the radial bone of one or both arms is missing. In some cases, such as Arthur's, other portions of the arm or hand may also be miss...

“Casting call! Casting call! Calling all actors and actresses. We are looking for someone to play someone with a disability.”  Anyone who knows me knows I'd jump, not literally, unless we are talking about a spasm, if I saw a casting call flyer with the criteria listed above. The sad reality is, crip casting is a thing. Crip casting, for example, happened in the movie The Upside. Bryan Cranston, who I am not denying is a great able-bodied actor, was chosen to play the disabled character Phillip, even though it does not appear as if he has a physical disability himself. The example of crip casting in The Upside is not unusual.  For the most part, disabled characters in TV and film are not portrayed by people with disabilities but rather by the able-bodied community.  Perhaps this is why there are three archetypes of disability. We are either portrayed as someone who needs saving, needs to be cured, or is a villain. Let me further illustrate what I mean. The earlier example...

  Love on the Spectrum U.S. won two Emmy Awards for outstanding casting and directing of a reality program. The docuseries highlights the dating experiences of individuals with autism, offering a rare look at their unique journeys. While some participants, like Abbey and David, find love, others leave without success or experience relationships that don’t last. So why are we still talking about this two months after the Emmys? Because the challenges faced by people with autism in areas like dating are often misunderstood or ignored. Love on the Spectrum U.S. not only shares the personal stories of its participants but also helps foster empathy and understanding, giving viewers a chance to see the importance of representation and inclusivity in media. Does my own dating journey mirror the experiences shown in Love on the Spectrum U.S. ? Not exactly. I was introduced to the concept of dating in junior high, and at the time, I had a very narrow view: meet someone, fall in love...