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Inspirational porn

Idaho State Journal - 5/14/2017

Some years ago, a high school football game made national news when one team deliberately stopped short of the end zone and with the next play, tossed a player with a disability over the goal line. It was a touching moment. The disabled player was shocked and pleased he had scored a touchdown, the quarterback wept as he told the story of helping his less fortunate teammate, and even the broadcast journalist seemed unusually moved since they are trained to be more objective.

I grew up in a rough San Francisco neighborhood where street punks routinely mocked a newspaper seller who had a curved spine and a severe limp, so the story moved me. A dear friend and disability activist, however, was not moved but rather annoyed by the story. In her opinion, all those weeping with joy at the big-hearted generosity of the high school football team were calling unnecessary attention to the player’s disability and elevating themselves in the process.

This does raise some interesting questions. We had argued before whether an able-bodied actor should play a famous disabled person like Eddie Redmayne who played Stephen Hawking or Daniel Day Lewis who portrayed Christy Brown. Both actors won Oscars. Often, famous people can’t convincingly play themselves and we need professional actors for a reason. News stories about the disabled, however, can be examples of a well-meaning exploitation. Here is a comment from disabled journalist, Ellen Painter Dollar:

“All my life, I have been admired, called brave and inspirational because I live with a disability. And, all my life, I have found that admiration and those labels ridiculous. Admire me for what I do — for writing well, raising decent kids or having a lovely garden. But don’t admire me just for existing, just because I live a mostly unremarkable life with scars and a limp and a history of dozens of broken bones. Admiration of this sort is really just pity in disguise.” She goes on to reject the implication that a disabled person doing some strenuous physical activity has some remarkable reserve of courage or strength.

The late Australian journalist and comedian Stella Young, who had a genetic bone disorder called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or OI, called this misplaced admiration of disabled people because of their disabilities, “inspirational porn.”

I had one university instructor of Disability Studies who was against the Special Olympics. Could that be as bad as the condescending attitude prompted by “inspirational porn”? Another instructor of linguistics who knew American Sign Language argued that members of the deaf community do not consider themselves disabled.

What is the best way to proceed when it comes to viewing those with disabilities? Perhaps Ellen Painter Dollar has the best advice. Admire her for what she does well.

Michael Corrigan graduated from San Francisco State with an MA in English and creative writing. He is a retired instructor of English and speech communications from Idaho State University. He has written several articles for various outlets, including Atticus Literary magazine online.

Michael Corrigan

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