![]() Fighting prejudice while inflicting it against people with disabilities alienated millions of disabled people like myself - people who rarely see reflections of themselves in the media, and on the sporadic occasions they do, it’s often handled irresponsibly. Cheering for inclusivity when it’s cloaked in ableism is counterproductive to the movie’s messaging. Ableism involves discrimination against people with disabilities. Inclusion is the practice of providing equal access and opportunity to people in marginalized groups, groups that have been inherently targeted, attacked or ignored by those in the majority. Such slurs were introduced when Meryl Streep’s character crashes a PTA meeting and sings, “I won’t play blind, deaf and dumb.” As a reminder, this is a major movie icon, Meryl Streep, singing disability slurs at the top of her lungs in a scene that explicitly claims to promote “an inclusive prom” and address “prejudice and oppression.” Before dissecting the language used in the film, we must address the overarching issue of inclusivity and the frequent misstep of ignoring intersectionality. ![]() The general tone is endearing, empathetic and inclusive which is why the use of disability slurs felt contradictory to the movie’s desired effect. ![]() ![]() An adaptation of Broadway’s “The Prom,” this story was initially inspired by similar real-life events - instances of discrimination against students who simply wanted to attend their high school prom. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |