Inspiration Porn: It's Not What You Think

Do you often come across images being shared on social media featuring people with visible disabilities and some random motivational quotes to top that??

This is a classic case of inspiration porn.?

Sounds controversial? Read on.?

So what is inspiration porn?

There is no single definition of inspiration porn.

The media or a third party putting a person’s disability into the limelight solely for “inspiring” non-disabled people is inspiration porn. A non-disabled person randomly coming to you to say how “brave” you are just because you have a visible disability is an outcome of inspiration porn.?

Late Australian activist Stella Young coined this informal term “inspiration porn” in 2014 based on her personal encounters. You often come across inspiration porn over the internet, television, or other forms of media.

Check out such examples below. I'm sure you'll have some grave realizations.

But what’s the harm in getting inspired by someone?

There is no harm in getting inspired by someone’s (with disability or not) achievements. But getting inspired solely because someone is disabled and publicizing it for self-gratification is outright problematic.?

These depictions are created for the superficial pleasure of the non-disabled people, objectifying and oppressing the disabled community. And hence, in the words of Stella Young, this is no less than porn.?

Do you notice that I am using words such as “depictions” and “portrayals”?

That is because inspiration porn does not mean to include the actions that happen in these portrayals. But inspiration porn is how that happening is publicized, framed, and portrayed by a third party or a media channel.?

For example, take a look at this video of a UPS driver befriending a 16-year-old boy with disability. The act of friendship is pure and sweet between two human beings. But the way this has been portrayed and interpreted depicts an act of charity turning the non-disabled person into a hero.

Kristin Gilger, the director of the National Center on Disability and Journalism (NCDJ) in one of her articles stated that although the portrayals are usually well-intentioned and thought to be a step towards inclusion, inspirational porn in fact further alienates the disability community.

Let’s break down how inspiration porn is problematic:

• All such portrayals are directed toward motivating non-disabled to perform certain tasks.?
• These depictions subconsciously make non-disabled people feel good about themselves by developing pity for the people with disabilities.?
• Inspirational porn stories are written from the perspective of non-disabled people and their altruistic actions toward people with disabilities.?
• In most cases, the person’s picture or video is used without seeking consent or informing the person.?
• These depictions inspire non-disabled people with this notion: “if a person with disability can perform this task, then why can’t you?” or, “be thankful for what you have, not everyone has it.”
• These kinds of messages make the disability community look inferior; that the community is incapable and unable to do certain common tasks.?
• This has an overall implication on the image of the disabled community. The “inspirational” element makes society in general look at the community with pity rather than as equals.?
• Inspiration porn creates underlying expectations from people with disabilities to act or conduct themselves in a certain way. For example, being ever cheerful, positive and inspirational without recognizing that we are humans too with a range of emotions.
• Inspiration porn glorifying “positive attitude as a solution to everything” heavily overshadows and undermines the actual challenges and injustices that people with disability face and have been facing for years.?

“We are more disabled by our society than our bodies.”

Inspirational porn is highly subjective, but one thing is common:

Such portrayals make people with disabilities feel uncomfortable, humiliated, and sometimes violated.?

A lot of questions arise when we break down inspiration porn:

Is it wrong to find inspiration in something or someone??

Is sharing stories of successful people with disabilities wrong??

Finding inspiration is a human instinct. There’s nothing wrong with finding inspiration for the right reasons. In fact, sharing genuine stories about the success of people with disabilities can positively impact the community.?

Let’s find out how you can really support and include the disability community.?

Tackling Inspiration Porn

Don’t just get inspired, learn.

For most of my life, I have come across people showering me with statements such as,?

“You are so brave”

“You are so inspiring”.?

But very rarely have I met someone who went beyond that to ask me about the actual challenges, obstacles, and discrimination I might have faced throughout my life.

Seldom will you come across stories of inaccessibility and discrimination publicized by mainstream media unless a person with disability speaks out. Because the audience loves a heartwarming "aweee" story over a story that actually puts the limelight on the challenges that the disability community faces.?

The next time you speak to someone from the disability community, go beyond generic statements and learn about the challenges and the reasons for those challenges. Learn how you (in your best capacity) can create a supportive and inclusive environment for the community.?

“Their actions and attitude are what is inspiring, not their disability.”

Take into account the disability community’s voice.?

Stories should include the opinions, ideas and direct speech of people with disability. In fact, stories send the right message to the people when written or narrated by the disability community.?

A 2021 research by Channel 4 stated that only 4% of the UK TV commercials featured a disabled character. Of which only 1% had a person with disability in the lead role. Moreover, the study revealed that one of the major reasons to not cast someone from the disability community was the “extra” support and effort that was needed.

When there is a lack of representation from the community being discussed, the depictions are bound to send a wrong message.?

Change the narrative.

A change of narrative in such stories will gradually change the perception of people about the disabled community. The disabled community is not to be pitied, but in fact, should be empowered. And what better than hearing the stories from the community itself!?

Rather than creating an overly dramatic “sad-to-cheerful” narrative, interview, create and share stories that give a realistic picture of what really matters. The stories that should be shared are the ones where people with disability are fighting for their rights and finding creative ways to break down the wall of inaccessibility. These are the stories that people need to get inspired by!

Ask yourself questions and confront the wrong.

In order to distinguish inspiration porn from genuine stories, ask yourself these:

Are those stories simply framed to make non-disabled people feel good?

Does the story take into account the opinions of the disability community?

Are these just clickbait stories to go viral and garner ratings for the channel?

Are those stories going to genuinely help and empower the disability community?

Is the person with disability in the story treated as an object or as a human being?

Answering these questions will give you clarity on what is inspiration porn and what is not. And your work responsibility doesn’t stop there. If you really want to create an inclusive environment and change the perception, you will need to confront creators of extreme inspiration porn and spread awareness.?

“Disability is not an exception, it is a norm.”

Changing the perception or eradication of inspiration porn will not happen in one day because of its subjective nature and well intentions. But talking more about inspiration porn and pointing out such content when you see it can be a step forward.?

So the next time you see inspiration porn, think and act!

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* Sources are mentioned in the comment section.