We need more soap stars with learning disabilities
26 July 2012
So, 99% of the population can't name a high-profile person in
the media with a learning disability, according to an Ipsos MORI poll for Mencap - and I'm not
surprised. Think about it; apart from singer Susan Boyle, there are
very few people with learning disabilities in the public eye.
Obviously people with learning disabilities or who work in the
sector will be able to name more - Scott Watkin, former co-national
director for learning disabilities and punk band Heavy Load, which
features members with and without learning disabilities spring to
mind - but then you would expect that. But would your average bloke
in the street be able to name them? Perhaps not. As Mencap's chief
executive Mark Goldring says; "people with disabilities are
under-represented in the media and in public life and people with a
learning disability are particularly invisible in UK society."
Goldring goes on to call for more positive role models in the media
and in public life to help remove the stigma associated with
disability and to encourage a shift in public perception to enable
people with a disability to be treated equally in society. He's
right. But how to address this? Perhaps it is time for one of the
major soaps to introduce a regular character with learning
disabilities. Admittedly, EastEnders has had a character
with Down's syndrome, Janet Mitchell, daughter of Billy Mitchell,
for some years. The storyline of her birth, and her parents'
acceptance of her, continued for some months, and won praise for
helping to raise awareness. But Janet now only rarely appears.
Meanwhile, Hollyoaks did have a character with learning
disabilities, Spencer Gray, for a couple of years, but he was axed
in 2010. Also, the actor who played him did not have a learning
disability. Other than that, characters with learning disabilities
are thin on the ground. This needs to change because TV soaps can
help to break down stigma and educate viewers on issues. For
example, the Stacey Slater bipolar storyline in EastEnders
- which showed the character gradually develop the condition before
being sectioned, followed by her recovery and learning to live with
it - helped to bring the condition into the public eye. Indeed, at
the time MDF The Bipolar Organisation said the number of young
people calling its helpline doubled in 6 months, mainly down to the
storyline. It demonstrates the power soaps have. I reckon that
seeing a regular character with learning disabilities - played by
someone with learning disabilities - in everyday situations and
with realistic storylines could help to improve understanding and
reduce stigma among the general public. Plus, it would give an
opportunity to highlight other issues, such as disability hate
crime, which are also largely hidden. Soap executives often talk
about how they like to tackle issues and push boundaries; which one
will go for this?
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