Media, Arts & Culture
Disability representation in media shapes how society views disabled people—and how disabled people view themselves. This section highlights disability-centered media created by and for disabled communities.
In This Section
Section titled “In This Section”Comprehensive book list organized by genre, disability type, and identity. Prioritizes Own Voices authors (disabled writers). Includes fiction, memoir, nonfiction, children’s books, poetry, and academic texts.
The Politics of Disability — A Reading Pathway
Section titled “The Politics of Disability — A Reading Pathway”A guided, staged reading list on disability as a political and cultural category. Own-voices first, with a framing lens for reading any portrayal critically — and pointers into the full Books and Bibliography lists.
Disability-focused podcasts covering news, culture, storytelling, advocacy, and specific disability communities. Hosted by disabled creators.
Documentary films about disability history, culture, and lived experience. Feature films with authentic disability representation.
Television series featuring disabled characters and creators. Highlights authentic casting and behind-the-scenes representation.
Disabled content creators on YouTube covering lifestyle, advocacy, education, comedy, and more.
Disabled creators building community and awareness on TikTok.
Disability blogs, news sites, and online publications by disabled writers and organizations.
Disability culture in theater, dance, visual arts, and performance. Disability arts organizations and artists.
Analysis of harmful disability tropes in media and what good representation looks like.
Directory of disabled artists, writers, musicians, and creators across all media.
Why Representation Matters
Section titled “Why Representation Matters”Media representation shapes public perception. For decades, disabled characters were portrayed through harmful tropes: the bitter cripple, the inspiration porn hero, the villain with a disability, the character who must be “cured” to achieve happiness.
Authentic representation—created by disabled people, centering disabled experiences without tragedy or inspiration narratives—helps disabled people see themselves reflected and helps non-disabled audiences understand disability as a natural part of human diversity.
The Disability Visibility Project, founded by Alice Wong, has documented that when disabled people tell their own stories, the narratives change fundamentally. This section centers that principle: prioritizing disabled creators telling their own stories.
What We Look For
Section titled “What We Look For”Centering disabled creators: We prioritize media made by disabled people, not just about them.
Authentic representation: Characters and stories that reflect real disabled experiences without relying on harmful tropes.
Diverse disabilities: Representation across physical, sensory, cognitive, psychiatric, chronic illness, and invisible disabilities.
Intersectionality: Disabled people of color, LGBTQ+ disabled people, disabled immigrants, and other multiply-marginalized identities.
Nothing about us without us: The disability rights principle applies to media too.
Related Sections
Section titled “Related Sections”This section centers disabled creators and authentic disability representation.
Contribute to This Page
Section titled “Contribute to This Page”Have lived experience or expertise that could strengthen this page? We especially welcome perspectives on models not well represented here, including those from the Global South and Indigenous communities.
This page centers disabled people’s expertise and is informed by disabled-led organizing globally. For questions or to suggest additions, see How to Contribute.