Disability Imagery: A Bastion of Social Change Faith Perez, Renee Stronach, with students in DIS 450, Faculty Mentors: Liz DePoy and Stephen Gilson 180 Submission No. Introduction: In the visual and material culture of the 21 st century, image is power. This inquiry used thematic analysis to examine the meanings of disability imagery on a continuum from tragedy to an inevitable and celebrated part of human diversity and provocateur of social change. Five themes emerged: disability as tragic (exclusion, isolation, fear); disability as inspiration porn (disabled people are brave or special just for living); close but not quite (some positive imagery segregation and impairment are foregrounded); and celebration of disability as human diversity (the goal for change). 2017 University of Maine Student Symposium: Research & Creative Activity, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor ME, April 24 th , 2017 Tragedy Inspiration porn Close but not quite Celebration of disability as human diversity #disabledandcute Alison Lapper Million Dollar Baby Asher Nash Locus of social change-imagery that integrates disability into the fabric of human activity, contexts, beauty, messiness, daily life. Fashion Disability as sport

Disability Imagery: A Bastion of Social Change€¦ · Inspiration porn Close but not quite Celebration of disability as human diversity #disabledandcute Alison Lapper Million Dollar

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Page 1: Disability Imagery: A Bastion of Social Change€¦ · Inspiration porn Close but not quite Celebration of disability as human diversity #disabledandcute Alison Lapper Million Dollar

DisabilityImagery:ABastionofSocialChangeFaithPerez,ReneeStronach,withstudentsinDIS450,FacultyMentors:LizDePoyandStephenGilson

180SubmissionNo.

Introduction:Inthevisualandmaterialcultureofthe21st century,imageispower.Thisinquiryusedthematicanalysistoexaminethemeaningsofdisabilityimageryonacontinuumfromtragedytoaninevitableandcelebratedpartofhumandiversityandprovocateurofsocialchange. Fivethemesemerged:disabilityastragic(exclusion,isolation,fear);disabilityasinspirationporn(disabledpeoplearebraveorspecialjustforliving);closebutnotquite(somepositiveimagerysegregationandimpairmentareforegrounded);andcelebrationofdisabilityashumandiversity(thegoalforchange).

2017UniversityofMaineStudentSymposium:Research&CreativeActivity,CrossInsuranceCenter,BangorME,April24th,2017

Tragedy

Inspirationporn

Closebutnotquite Celebrationofdisabilityashumandiversity

#disabledandcute

AlisonLapperMillionDollarBaby

AsherNash

Locusofsocialchange-imagerythatintegratesdisabilityintothefabricofhumanactivity,contexts,beauty,messiness,dailylife.

Fashion

Disabilityassport