Dylan Earis remembers the joy he felt when he watched Malcolm in the Middle. One of the characters uses a wheelchair, just like Earis. However, the character Stevie was portrayed by a non-disabled actor. Unfortunately, this is common according to The Ruderman Family Foundation, 95% of disabled characters on TV are played by non-disabled actors.
Earis was thrilled to watch the show Breaking Bad. One of the actors has cerebral palsy. He uses crutches to get around. There are not enough disabled actors and actresses in movies and on TV.
I was 17 years old before I saw someone with cerebral palsy cast in a TV program that I watched. There was an actor on Breaking Bad who has CP, but I was too young to understand that program.
Growing up, I rarely saw anybody who looked like me in the media and other aspects of life. I never had a teacher who had a visible disability and rarely saw people like me. It would have meant so much to me if I’d seen disabled people on TV or in the workforce when I was growing up.
Disabled people don’t need to be kept away from society. We are the world’s largest minority and aren’t going anywhere. People don’t need to be afraid of disabled people. We are in your neighborhoods, schools, places of worship, local businesses, and workplaces. We deserve to be seen and accommodated.
Sources:
“Caprino, Kathy. “The World’s Largest Minority Might Surprise You, And How We Can Better Serve Them.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 14 Apr. 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2016/04/14/the-worlds-largest-minority-might-surprise-you-and-how-we-can-better-serve-them/?sh=737aa3ca496f.
“Earis, Dylan. “I Want to Be the Representation I Didn’t See on TV Growing up with a Disability.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 2 Feb. 2024, http://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7092158. “
“Employment of Actors with Disabilities in Television.” Ruderman Family Foundation, Ruderman Family Foundation, 23 Aug. 2017, rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/employment-of-actors-with-disabilities-in-television/.