as small as a world and as large as alone

8:42pm July 13, 2013

dendriforming:

ladybyakko:

Can we talk about inspiration porn for a second?

I’ve seen one or two of the billboards/advertisements associated with this campaign around before, but until this morning I had no idea that they were using people with disabilities this way.  Then, while I was on the bus to the gym this morning, I saw two of the above adds on bus stops in my neighborhood.

It made me sick.

I get what this campaign is trying to do.  Or, at least, I think I do.  But honestly, using people with disabilities as fodder for your inspiration porn just because they have disabilities is straight up wrong.

Do people understand that?  Honestly, do they?

I keep hearing people saying to me that they understand why this kind of thing is wrong, but then there are still people creating (probably) multi-million dollar advertising campaigns that do shit like this.

I’m not saying the accomplishments of the people featured in these ads aren’t great, because they are.  But… just… can people please, please, please stop acting like living while disabled and achieving while disabled is some kind of miracle? 

Because it’s really not.

Thank you. Also, this is my absolute least favorite:

[Values.com image of Helen Keller with the text “Could only see possibilities.“ The value depicted is “foresight.”]

I’ve been meaning to rant about Values.com since I saw the Helen Keller billboard at Chicago Midway. But had never managed to organize the words well enough to do so.

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