{"id":156,"date":"2025-03-21T13:39:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T13:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/chapter\/article-cripface\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T19:46:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T19:46:11","slug":"article-cripface","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/chapter\/article-cripface\/","title":{"raw":"Article: Cripface","rendered":"Article: Cripface"},"content":{"raw":"Have students access <a href=\"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigatingstudent\/chapter\/cripface\/\">Cripface<\/a> in the Student Material read it and answer questions. Please note that there are four questions at the end of the article for students to respond to.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>Cripface Article Questions and Answers<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>How was Glee seen differently by people with and without disabilities?<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The portrayal of Artie Abrams on <em>Glee<\/em> was viewed differently by people with and without disabilities due to contrasting perspectives on representation and stereotypes:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Non-disabled viewers<\/span> often saw Artie as a positive portrayal of a person with a disability. They appreciated his resilience and talents, leading <em>Glee<\/em> to receive an award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for exemplifying \"television with a conscience.\"<\/li>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Disabled viewers<\/span>, on the other hand, criticized Artie as an inaccurate and stereotyped character. They pointed out that his portrayal reinforced harmful tropes, such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The idea that individuals with disabilities are only admirable if they \"overcome\" their disability.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The notion that people with disabilities are automatically social outcasts.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The assumption that their strongest emotion revolves around wishing they didn\u2019t have their disability.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>In what ways is the character of Artie a stereotyped portrayal of persons with disabilities?<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The character of Artie Abrams in <em>Glee<\/em> embodies several stereotypes commonly associated with persons with disabilities, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Inspiration through \"Overcoming\" Disability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Artie is portrayed as admirable primarily because he doesn\u2019t \u201clet his wheelchair hold him back.\u201d This reflects the stereotype that people with disabilities are only valuable when they show extraordinary resilience or \"overcome\" their limitations.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Social Outcast Trope: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Artie is depicted as being automatically set apart and targeted by bullies because of his disability, reinforcing the notion that people with disabilities are inherently isolated or marginalized in social settings.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Physical Activity Exclusion: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">His dream of becoming a dancer is presented as impossible, even though real-world wheelchair dancers exist. This perpetuates the stereotype that individuals with disabilities cannot participate in physical activities like dancing or sports.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Desire to \"Fix\" the Disability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">The storyline suggests that Artie\u2019s strongest aspiration is to no longer have his disability, promoting the idea that disability inherently diminishes a person\u2019s happiness or potential.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">These stereotypes simplify the complex experiences of people with disabilities, reducing them to clich\u00e9d narratives rather than portraying them as fully realized individuals with diverse lives and aspirations.<\/p>\r\n<strong>Why does the article suggest that the character of Artie might be less stereotyped if persons with disabilities were involved in the production of the show?<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The article suggests that the character of Artie might have been less stereotyped if persons with disabilities had been involved in the production of <em>Glee<\/em> because their lived experiences and perspectives could have provided more authentic insights into disability. Specifically:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Awareness of Real-Life Opportunities: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">A person with a disability or someone familiar with the disabled community might have been aware of traditions like wheelchair dancing (e.g., integrated dance or wheelchair ballroom). They could have influenced the writers to portray Artie\u2019s dream of being a dancer as achievable, challenging the stereotype that physical activities are impossible for people with disabilities.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Avoidance of Harmful Tropes: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Disabled actors or crew members are more likely to recognize and push back against common stereotypes, such as the \u201covercoming\u201d narrative or the notion that disability defines a person\u2019s entire identity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Cultural and Experiential Nuance: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">As Si\u00e2n Heder, director of the 2021 film <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">CODA<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">, explained, experiences like disability or Deafness involve cultural and social nuances that cannot be convincingly performed or written without lived experience. Including disabled individuals in the creative process would ensure these nuances are authentically represented.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Advocacy for Better Representation: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Disabled actors and production staff could advocate for more multidimensional, realistic characters that reflect the full range of experiences of people with disabilities, rather than perpetuating one-dimensional portrayals.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Thus, involving persons with disabilities in media production helps challenge stereotypes and create richer, more inclusive stories.<\/p>\r\nWhat reasons are given for why producers are reluctant to hire actors with disabilities?\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">According to the article, there are several reasons why producers may be reluctant to hire actors with disabilities:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Fear of Litigation: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Producers worry that hiring actors with disabilities might expose them to legal challenges or complications related to accommodations and accessibility.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Production: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">There is a perception that actors with disabilities might \"slow a production down,\" potentially affecting tight filming schedules.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Viewer Comfort: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Some producers believe audiences might feel uncomfortable seeing actors with visible disabilities, leading them to avoid casting them in key roles.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Bias Against Disabled Actors: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">There is evidence of overt prejudice within the industry. For example, some casting agents and producers have openly stated they are unwilling to hire people with disabilities for acting or broadcasting roles.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Stereotypes About Talent Availability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Producers often claim there aren\u2019t enough talented performers with disabilities to fill roles, despite organizations like the Media Access Office advocating that there are many skilled disabled actors available.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nTake up the questions with the class and then ask students:\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>How important do you think it is that disabled characters be played by actors with disabilities? Why?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How important do you think it is that disabled actors be cast to play characters that do not necessarily have disabilities? Why? Is the answer different in different situations?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Think back to the different examples we saw in the slideshow. Do you think some kinds of cross-casting are better or worse than others? Why or why not?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>A growing trend is towards aggressively colour-blind casting. This can occur either in shows that simply pretend that race and ethnicity are no longer relevant to young people\u2019s lives, like the CW\u2019s Riverdale, or ones that imagine alternate worlds where the concepts are meaningless such as Prime\u2019s Wheel of Time. While this does lead to more roles for actors from under-represented groups, some critics argue that it lets viewers ignore the reality of racism and the other disadvantages these groups face. What do you think?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Is it more important that writers and producers, rather than actors, come from the community being represented? For example, today Black characters are always played by Black actors, but usually in roles written, directed and produced by White people. How often are Black characters stereotyped? Is it more important that all the actors on a show like Ms. Marvel be Muslim, or that the actors on Reservation Dogs are Indigenous, or that a significant number of the writers and producers are?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<p>Have students access <a href=\"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigatingstudent\/chapter\/cripface\/\">Cripface<\/a> in the Student Material read it and answer questions. Please note that there are four questions at the end of the article for students to respond to.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>Cripface Article Questions and Answers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>How was Glee seen differently by people with and without disabilities?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The portrayal of Artie Abrams on <em>Glee<\/em> was viewed differently by people with and without disabilities due to contrasting perspectives on representation and stereotypes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Non-disabled viewers<\/span> often saw Artie as a positive portrayal of a person with a disability. They appreciated his resilience and talents, leading <em>Glee<\/em> to receive an award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for exemplifying &#8220;television with a conscience.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Disabled viewers<\/span>, on the other hand, criticized Artie as an inaccurate and stereotyped character. They pointed out that his portrayal reinforced harmful tropes, such as:\n<ul>\n<li>The idea that individuals with disabilities are only admirable if they &#8220;overcome&#8221; their disability.<\/li>\n<li>The notion that people with disabilities are automatically social outcasts.<\/li>\n<li>The assumption that their strongest emotion revolves around wishing they didn\u2019t have their disability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>In what ways is the character of Artie a stereotyped portrayal of persons with disabilities?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The character of Artie Abrams in <em>Glee<\/em> embodies several stereotypes commonly associated with persons with disabilities, including:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Inspiration through &#8220;Overcoming&#8221; Disability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Artie is portrayed as admirable primarily because he doesn\u2019t \u201clet his wheelchair hold him back.\u201d This reflects the stereotype that people with disabilities are only valuable when they show extraordinary resilience or &#8220;overcome&#8221; their limitations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Social Outcast Trope: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Artie is depicted as being automatically set apart and targeted by bullies because of his disability, reinforcing the notion that people with disabilities are inherently isolated or marginalized in social settings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Physical Activity Exclusion: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">His dream of becoming a dancer is presented as impossible, even though real-world wheelchair dancers exist. This perpetuates the stereotype that individuals with disabilities cannot participate in physical activities like dancing or sports.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Desire to &#8220;Fix&#8221; the Disability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">The storyline suggests that Artie\u2019s strongest aspiration is to no longer have his disability, promoting the idea that disability inherently diminishes a person\u2019s happiness or potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">These stereotypes simplify the complex experiences of people with disabilities, reducing them to clich\u00e9d narratives rather than portraying them as fully realized individuals with diverse lives and aspirations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why does the article suggest that the character of Artie might be less stereotyped if persons with disabilities were involved in the production of the show?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The article suggests that the character of Artie might have been less stereotyped if persons with disabilities had been involved in the production of <em>Glee<\/em> because their lived experiences and perspectives could have provided more authentic insights into disability. Specifically:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Awareness of Real-Life Opportunities: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">A person with a disability or someone familiar with the disabled community might have been aware of traditions like wheelchair dancing (e.g., integrated dance or wheelchair ballroom). They could have influenced the writers to portray Artie\u2019s dream of being a dancer as achievable, challenging the stereotype that physical activities are impossible for people with disabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Avoidance of Harmful Tropes: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Disabled actors or crew members are more likely to recognize and push back against common stereotypes, such as the \u201covercoming\u201d narrative or the notion that disability defines a person\u2019s entire identity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Cultural and Experiential Nuance: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">As Si\u00e2n Heder, director of the 2021 film <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">CODA<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">, explained, experiences like disability or Deafness involve cultural and social nuances that cannot be convincingly performed or written without lived experience. Including disabled individuals in the creative process would ensure these nuances are authentically represented.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Advocacy for Better Representation: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Disabled actors and production staff could advocate for more multidimensional, realistic characters that reflect the full range of experiences of people with disabilities, rather than perpetuating one-dimensional portrayals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Thus, involving persons with disabilities in media production helps challenge stereotypes and create richer, more inclusive stories.<\/p>\n<p>What reasons are given for why producers are reluctant to hire actors with disabilities?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">According to the article, there are several reasons why producers may be reluctant to hire actors with disabilities:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Fear of Litigation: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Producers worry that hiring actors with disabilities might expose them to legal challenges or complications related to accommodations and accessibility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Production: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">There is a perception that actors with disabilities might &#8220;slow a production down,&#8221; potentially affecting tight filming schedules.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Viewer Comfort: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Some producers believe audiences might feel uncomfortable seeing actors with visible disabilities, leading them to avoid casting them in key roles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Bias Against Disabled Actors: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">There is evidence of overt prejudice within the industry. For example, some casting agents and producers have openly stated they are unwilling to hire people with disabilities for acting or broadcasting roles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Stereotypes About Talent Availability: <span style=\"font-size: 0.9em; text-align: justify;\">Producers often claim there aren\u2019t enough talented performers with disabilities to fill roles, despite organizations like the Media Access Office advocating that there are many skilled disabled actors available.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Take up the questions with the class and then ask students:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<ul>\n<li>How important do you think it is that disabled characters be played by actors with disabilities? Why?<\/li>\n<li>How important do you think it is that disabled actors be cast to play characters that do not necessarily have disabilities? Why? Is the answer different in different situations?<\/li>\n<li>Think back to the different examples we saw in the slideshow. Do you think some kinds of cross-casting are better or worse than others? Why or why not?<\/li>\n<li>A growing trend is towards aggressively colour-blind casting. This can occur either in shows that simply pretend that race and ethnicity are no longer relevant to young people\u2019s lives, like the CW\u2019s Riverdale, or ones that imagine alternate worlds where the concepts are meaningless such as Prime\u2019s Wheel of Time. While this does lead to more roles for actors from under-represented groups, some critics argue that it lets viewers ignore the reality of racism and the other disadvantages these groups face. What do you think?<\/li>\n<li>Is it more important that writers and producers, rather than actors, come from the community being represented? For example, today Black characters are always played by Black actors, but usually in roles written, directed and produced by White people. How often are Black characters stereotyped? Is it more important that all the actors on a show like Ms. Marvel be Muslim, or that the actors on Reservation Dogs are Indigenous, or that a significant number of the writers and producers are?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-156","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":152,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":451,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/156\/revisions\/451"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/152"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/156\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=156"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=156"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/textbook.mediasmarts.ca\/navigating-teacher\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}