Different is NOT Bad

By Shannon Porter, empower: abilities

Why is it that the movie industry often uses physical disfigurement to give attributes of evil to their characters? The recent backlash over the movie version of Roald Dahl's The Witches caused me to consider how physical differences have been portrayed in literature and movies as a representation of evil or darkness. Missing fingers. Hunchbacks. Scarred faces. Warner Brothers' use of limb differences to create a character that is essentially evil further reinforces the idea that different equals bad. Fortunately, the disability community wasn't having it! A paralympic Bronze medalist Amy Marren tweeted, "Please educate yourself on #LimbDifferences and support the idea that you are #NotAWitch because you look different! You can also actively support the limb difference community by using words that describe us as PEOPLE, as it’s not the difference that defines us.” The backlash caused the lead actress, Anne Hathaway, to publicly apologize for any pain she caused those with limb differences.

Disability advocates, friends, and families can harness the power of social media to raise awareness and no longer tolerate being represented as less than or "bad.” As a community, we must continue to call out and throw off the stigma and labels that limit or reduce our value. Activism has the power to bring change.

The British Film Institute recently announced that they will no longer fund movies that portray villains with facial injuries or disfigurements. Consider the powerful words in my favorite quote from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."