Individual Presentation or Panel Title
“Speechless”: Giving voice to Disability and disability studies through examining ABC’s show Speechless
Abstract
Disability has been an area often overlooked in popular cultural media especially as the main character and main focus of television shows. The few television shows that have made it to the small screen have the advantage start to build connections with audience and society. This allows a deeper understanding of stereotypes and boundary transgressions when it comes to the diverse population of people with disabilities. Exploring these relationships through the new ABC show “Speechless” gives several new perspectives to explore relating to disability, identity, and family. Disability studies looks from both an outsider and insider perspective on how we view what is “normal” or “fully human.” Using popular media to expand the conversation, and give insight to what it is like to “be” in relationship with a person with disabilities or to “be” that person, we have the ability to enter into more complicated conversation about decency, respect, advocacy and allowing the “Speechless” to have a voice. This opening of conversation to the wider tv viewing audience can start conversations that advocates and scholars of disability have been dialoguing over for more than twenty-five years.
Presentation Description
Exploring relationships of disability, sterotypes and boundary transgressing through the new ABC show “Speechless” gives new perspectives to explore of disability, identity, and family. Through the lens of disability studies and using TV to give insight to what it is like to “be” in relationship with a person with disabilities or to “be” that person, we have the ability to enter into more complicated conversation about decency, respect, advocacy and allowing the “Speechless” to have a voice.
Keywords
Disability studies, critical media, identity, sterotypes
Publication Type and Release Option
Event
Recommended Citation
Hotchkiss, Ellen M., "“Speechless”: Giving voice to Disability and disability studies through examining ABC’s show Speechless" (2018). Curriculum Studies Summer Collaborative. 24.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cssc/2018/2018/24
“Speechless”: Giving voice to Disability and disability studies through examining ABC’s show Speechless
Disability has been an area often overlooked in popular cultural media especially as the main character and main focus of television shows. The few television shows that have made it to the small screen have the advantage start to build connections with audience and society. This allows a deeper understanding of stereotypes and boundary transgressions when it comes to the diverse population of people with disabilities. Exploring these relationships through the new ABC show “Speechless” gives several new perspectives to explore relating to disability, identity, and family. Disability studies looks from both an outsider and insider perspective on how we view what is “normal” or “fully human.” Using popular media to expand the conversation, and give insight to what it is like to “be” in relationship with a person with disabilities or to “be” that person, we have the ability to enter into more complicated conversation about decency, respect, advocacy and allowing the “Speechless” to have a voice. This opening of conversation to the wider tv viewing audience can start conversations that advocates and scholars of disability have been dialoguing over for more than twenty-five years.