The Centre for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS), based in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) sought to examine the needs and opinions of disabled individuals in terms of media representation. The purpose of this investigation was to examine disabled audience demands for diverse, authentic, and inclusive media content and whether this varied meaningfully by gender, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity.
A few key figures
3.5%
of characters in broadcast scripted series had disabilities in the 2020-2021 season.
68%
of women who have one or more disabilities reported wanting better quality representation, while 65.4% of men reported wanting more quantity representation.