The way people with disabilities are portrayed on television and in film has a significant impact on how society views them. The television series ‘Glee’ is a popular show with a wide audience of viewers and numerous characters who have disabilities. Given Glee’s viewership, this show can shape how many young people view the disabled community. Therefore, I chose to explore Glee’s character Artie Abrams, a high school student who is bound to a wheelchair due an injury he sustained in a car accident as a child. Using the first season of Glee I’ve assessed the following: the portrayal of Artie’s character, his disability and how it assists in plot development, the use of stereotypes, and if the shows depiction of media in regards to characters
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For many teenagers, high school is turbulent enough without adding a physical disability to the mix. The reality of it all is that life as a teenage paraplegic is hard, says Joni, in her blog titled, “Building a life after teenage SCI”. Suicidal, depressed, frightened and discouraged. Were all words she used to describe her experience post-spinal cord injury. Returning to high school was difficult, she says. She was overcome by shocking looks from friends and many awkward questions. Which severely affected her social life and sent her into a spiral of anger. “I was sick and tired of pious platitudes that well-meaning friends often gave me at my bedside. Patting me on the head, trivializing my plight, with the 16 good biblical reasons as to why all this has happened(Tada, 2016).” Fortunately for Joni, the awkward stares and questions stopped and she could regain a piece of joy she thought was …show more content…
One of the main ones is the idea that disabled people are to be pitied. Throughout the storyline, whenever Artie finds a new love interest, the girl is seen pushing him around everywhere he needs to go in his wheelchair as if he is incapable. Also, on the football team, coach Beiste allows Artie to play football without even trying out for the team like the other football players all because she shouted at him earlier in the show. Puck, a Glee club member uses Artie’s wheelchair to trick the students into buying cupcakes out of pity. He also uses the wheelchair that he is in to threaten employers into hiring him. The use of the wheelchair as a source of pity falsely accuses handicapped people of doing the same things to make people feel sorry for them. Another present stereotype that falls into pitying is that fact that Sue, the coach of the cheerleading squad continuously mentions her disability whenever she is asked to do something that she isn’t fond of. The show fails to understand the difference between a disability and a stereotype. Hence, the difference is simple. A disability or a person that has a disability doesn’t use their situation to get what they
For many teenagers, high school is turbulent enough without adding a physical disability to the mix. The reality of it all is that life as a teenage paraplegic is hard, says Joni, in her blog titled, “Building a life after teenage SCI”. Suicidal, depressed, frightened and discouraged. Were all words she used to describe her experience post-spinal cord injury. Returning to high school was difficult, she says. She was overcome by shocking looks from friends and many awkward questions. Which severely affected her social life and sent her into a spiral of anger. “I was sick and tired of pious platitudes that well-meaning friends often gave me at my bedside. Patting me on the head, trivializing my plight, with the 16 good biblical reasons as to why all this has happened(Tada, 2016).” Fortunately for Joni, the awkward stares and questions stopped and she could regain a piece of joy she thought was …show more content…
One of the main ones is the idea that disabled people are to be pitied. Throughout the storyline, whenever Artie finds a new love interest, the girl is seen pushing him around everywhere he needs to go in his wheelchair as if he is incapable. Also, on the football team, coach Beiste allows Artie to play football without even trying out for the team like the other football players all because she shouted at him earlier in the show. Puck, a Glee club member uses Artie’s wheelchair to trick the students into buying cupcakes out of pity. He also uses the wheelchair that he is in to threaten employers into hiring him. The use of the wheelchair as a source of pity falsely accuses handicapped people of doing the same things to make people feel sorry for them. Another present stereotype that falls into pitying is that fact that Sue, the coach of the cheerleading squad continuously mentions her disability whenever she is asked to do something that she isn’t fond of. The show fails to understand the difference between a disability and a stereotype. Hence, the difference is simple. A disability or a person that has a disability doesn’t use their situation to get what they