How Inspiration Porn Harms the Disabled Community

What is inspiration porn?

The phrase “inspiration porn” might sound like a pep-talk given in the adult section of the video store. However, it is actually a term coined by comedian and activist, Stella Young, in her TED talk, which is a public speaking platform for technology, entertainment and design. Inspiration porn is used to describe benevolent ableism, which is a form of ableism that enforces the view that disabled people are weak, nonintellectual, or need to be rescued. Inspiration porn is typically a video, picture or article about a disabled person who overcame or accomplished something, often accompanied by captions or comments, such as “No excuses.”

The term ‘porn’ is deliberate, due to objectifying disabled people for the benefit of able-bodied people. Inspiration porn may seem harmless or uplifting, but it can negatively impact the disabled community. It suggests that a disability should be overcome. It also portrays disabled people as being weak or generally unable to help themselves. Therefore, any disabled person who accomplishes the same things as an able-bodied person is “superpowered.”

How does inspiration porn impact the disabled community?

Inspiration porn may seem harmless to everyone. In fact, many able-bodied people might think that these narratives inspire the disabled community. Unfortunately, harm can occur due to these images and stories, including skewed expectations, devaluing contributions, and negative perceptions.

Skewed expectations

With images and stories of disabled people climbing a mountain, traveling the world, starting their own business, etc., the concept of individuality disappears. Disabled people are seen as a monolith. “If they can do it, so can you!” This narrative ignores the fact that disabled people have different circumstances, needs and capabilities. No two disabled individuals are able to function the exact same way, even if they have the same condition.

Devaluing contributions

When disabled people are praised and congratulated for doing the things that able-bodied people do daily, it magnifies the wrong aspects of their identity. Disabled people want to be recognized for the same things as able-bodied people, such as their contributions to society. When disabled people are praised for getting a date to prom, lifting weights, going to the grocery store, etc., it ignores and devalues what they bring to society.

Negative perception of disability

Inspiration porn also tends to depict disability negatively. It is often portrayed as needing to be fixed. “Overcome” is a word that is frequently used in inspiration porn. A person “overcomes” their disability in order to walk down the aisle at their wedding or get a college degree. Disability is seen as something that a person must shed in order to accomplish their goals. It hints that important milestones and achievements are reserved only for those who are not disabled. This further promotes the idea that disabled people are somehow “less than” others.

Additional sources: Medical News Today, NPR, and Accessibility.com