Where Are We On the Small Screen

Then and Now

When those With Disabilities Don’t see Equal or Accurate Representation on the Small Screen

Thanks to Erik Mclean @introspectivedsgn for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁 https://unsplash.com/photos/U-Vu_r6qyyU

Hold my hand and walk with me.

We must break the back of social inequity;

We must empower every individual with a disability

To live with dignity in an inclusive society.

William E. Lightbourne

So you are looking forward to the new shows they have been advertising on Network television, you’re sitting down to see if there’s a badass character who just happens to have a disability but you find yourself disappointed the lack of representation on the Small Screen is frustrating to say the least.

Let me just point out that there has been an improvement in disability representation since the 2010–11 disability line up when only 1 percent of primetime characters had a disability, 2012 and 13 brought a twelve year low of 0.6 percent, where as twenty and twenty one hit a twelve year high of 3.5 percent, only to go down to 2.8 percent 2021 and 2022 broadcast season.