“A [2021] report on the television writing from the Think Tank for Inclusion and Equity found that 93% of disabled writers surveyed said they were the only disabled person on staff, and 97% of writing rooms had no upper-level disabled writers.”
-Marc Malkin Variety
Think about that for a moment. Disabled people are massively underrepresented in entertainment. And we are as diverse as we are numerous, accounting for 20% of the global population. Over the last few years disabled people have slowly begun to see themselves in newer series, movies, and television.
While representation has certainly improved, all too often it’s done as a trope, or an act of tokenism that actually causes more harm than good. That’s why diversity in writing rooms and elsewhere in Hollywood is as vital as inclusion, equity, and accessibility itself. Each of these pieces work together and can not stand alone. We need not just representation of disability, but we need it across the spectrum to account for the depth, breadth, and power of the disability experience.
Thank you to Inevitable Foundation for your important work.
New PSA Urges More Disability Visibility and Representation in Hollywood