Conclusion
1. Disability is being underrepresented. The percentage of Americans with visible disabilities far surpasses the quantity of reality show participants with visible disabilities. Primitive studies into the importance of television representation indicate that it can have pervasive effects on the self-esteem of children that belong to a marginalized group.
2. Disability is being represented in a manner unconducive to the elimination of prejudice. Only by embracing a model that encourages both identification and social learning can a television program truly be representing disability in the most responsible way.
3. Disability narratives are being co-opted by able-bodied producers in a way that exploits, fetishizes, and commoditizes disability. By examining inappropriate social media responses to instances of disability on love/dating reality television and the importance of representation in media, I’ve unveiled how prejudice is encouraged by excluding those with disabilities from reality love narratives.
In order to responsibly represent disability on love reality television, these discouraging trends must be reversed. Disability should be represented in a proportionally accurate manner in order to normalize disability in constructed love scenarios, challenge myths about disabled asexuality, and provide visibility for the disabled community. Disability must be represented in a responsible manner, lest one risk only furthering prejudice through a depiction that “others” disability or misrepresents the struggles that can accompany life with a physical disability. Lastly, disabled people should be allowed to control their own depictions. Whenever able-bodied persons, even those who consider themselves disability advocates, speak over the voices of the disabled instead of amplifying them, they project their ablest privilege onto disabled narratives. One of the greatest challenges I encountered while conducting this research was the importance of staying conscientious in my duty to the disabled community. In my research, I have attempted to bring light to a pervasive issue in media, but I have never claimed to speak for or on behalf of the disabled community. I have attempted to treat the subject matter with complete objectivity, devoid of pity, sympathy, or any pretense of beneficence. The disabled community has voiced their sentiments on this matter and I wish to echo and buttress their opinions while proffering for a more accurate depiction of disability on reality love television.
Lastly, it's important to view disability representation on reality love television in the context of intersectionality. Thus, we should consider these issues in conversation with race, gender, class, age, and queerness representation as well. Check out the following infographics to further consider minority representation on-screen:
Race
The Diversity Gap in the Academy Awards
The Diversity Gap in the Emmy Awards
The Hollywood Diversity Report
Gender
Gender Inequality in Film
Women Directors in Hollywood
Women in the On-Screen Workforce
LGBTQ+
LBGT Characters in Major Studio Films (2014)
Diversity of LGBT Characters on Cable
LGBT Movie Character Screen Time