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The Negative Portrayal Of Down Syndrome In Glee '

774 Words4 Pages

Saniya Shah
Professor Gehring
LGST 173
8 June 2023
The Negative Portrayal of Down Syndrome in Glee (677)
Society’s perception of disability is influenced by many things, but perhaps the biggest influence comes from the media and its poor portrayal of people with disabilities. A journal article, Deconstructing Disability: Three Episodes of South Park, indicates that 99 percent of American households have at least one television set, indicating that the media we consume shapes our understanding of the world. As a result, the media constructs reality instead of reflecting it, thus creating and fueling harmful stereotypes (Reid-Hresko and Reid, 2005). The alteration of reality through the media and the negative portrayal of people with disabilities …show more content…

As the auditions start, Sue is seen harshly turning all the people trying out down as they don’t fit the traditional cheerleading stereotype. As Becky walks into the audition, Will, the head of the Glee club, tells Sue to “be nice” as he notices Becky is different. An article, I Do Not Exist to Inspire You, touches on pity and the ignorance surrounding disability that plagues society today. The article addresses the sentiment that people who have disabilities and visible impairments don’t want, nor do they need, pity as they have learned to adapt and survive, something that all individuals have to learn at some stage in their life (Anonymous, n.d.). Will, however, seems to pity Becky and believes that she is incapable of making the team based on the assumption that her disability renders her helpless. Not only that, but Will’s reaction insinuates that Sue should treat Becky’s audition differently and be “nicer” to her than the prior auditions out of pity. Will’s reaction disregards Becky’s wishes and he fails to consider if Becky would want special treatment based on her disability. She is also seen struggling to do her audition, fueling …show more content…

“Deconstructing Disability: Three Episodes of South Park: Disability Studies Quarterly.” Deconstructing Disability: Three Episodes of South Park | Disability Studies Quarterly, 2005, dsq-sds.org/article/view/628/805.
Anonymous. I Do Not Exist To Inspire You, www.xojane.com/issues/living-life-at-crotch-level-an-unapologetic-point-of- view. Accessed 5 June 2023.
Shang, Melissa. “Stories about Disability Don’t Have to Be Sad.” The New York Times, 21 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/opinion/stories-about-disability-dont-have-to-be-sad.html.
Smith, Brett, and Andrea Bundon. “Disability Models: Explaining and Understanding Disability Sport in Different Ways.” SpringerLink, 2018,

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