When we talk about people who have a disability, and we talk about their career options, most
of the time we look at the sciences or education as places where barriers tend to crop up.
However, there’s a real accessibility issue in the world of TV, and it needs addressing in a way it
hasn’t been addressed up until now.
You see, when we look at television specifically, the representation which we can sometimes
see in films just isn’t there on the small screen. You don’t see as many people with visible
disabilities, which is a sad truth.
There have been a few prominent examples in the last few months – the recent global premiere
of British TV show Doctor Who being a prime example. The UK classic has found a new home
on Disney Plus, and this means that it’s now open to a global audience. For disabled people,
this also gave representation, as one of the new characters introduced to star in three episodes
alongside David Tennant was a woman who used a wheelchair as a form of transportation.
This was a good step forward for visibility – in large part due to returning series showrunner
Russell T Davies, himself a longtime proponent of inclusivity and representation – but it was one
example among countless others where the kind of disabled representation we need just isn’t
there.
The biggest issue is the lack of roles written for disabled people, as is the case in Holywood. TV
shows are often larger in scale than a movie, and have more complex stories to tell with richer
characters at their disposal. However, many neglect to use this opportunity to showcase a
character who needs a mobility aid, or a character with a life-altering disability.
We wonder if it is due to a lack of knowledge on how to approach this type of role with the tact
and dignity it deserves. Alternatively, it’s simply a lack of interest in fleshing out these types of
characters. In either case, it’s rather sad to see a lack of disabled people in the world of TV.
It’s worth noting that the lack of roles isn’t the only roadblock for people who want to star in
television shows. A lot of disabled people find that much of the TV world isn’t what we’d call
accessible. Location shoots and poorly designed sets make it hard for people with mobility
issues to get around and participate.
Sadly, it is clear that there’s more than a fair few issues, and they will need to be resolved if
there’s going to be any real chance of seeing change. It’s a shame, because if we could offer
people the level of proper support they needed to pursue a meaningful career in television, a lot
of them would probably be happy to do so. However, for now we have to continue to push for
more inclusivity, and try to show networks that casting disabled people has the potential to be a
big success.