“The Only Disability in Life Is a Bad Attitude”: So-Called “Inspirational” Media in The Age of Trump
Main Article Content
Keywords
inspiration porn, politics, Facebook
Abstract
This study explores the reactions of social media users to “inspiration porn” involving disabled persons, which are images designed to elicit sympathy or a feel-good response. Distinctions were found along the lines of respondents’ political, religious, educational, and disability-related identities.
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Eve Bohakel Lee, M.A.C., Bellarmine University
Eve Bohakel Lee is assistant director for academic services and a 2021 graduate of the Master of Arts in Communication program at Bellarmine University.
Amy Lein, Ph.D., Bellarmine University
Amy Lein is Associate Professor of Special Education and the Chair of the Education (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs at Bellarmine University. As a former public school teacher of special education and general education mathematics, her research areas of interest include mathematics interventions for struggling students, student engagement, and teacher preparation and development.
Kyle Barnett, Ph.D., Bellarmine University
Kyle Barnett is an Associate Professor of Media Studies in Bellarmine University’s Department of Communication. His first book, Record Cultures: The Transformation of the U.S. Recording Industry (University of Michigan Press), was named best historical research on record labels and general recording history by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) for 2021.
Moira O'Keeffe, Ph.D., Bellarmine University
Moira O’Keeffe is an Associate Professor of Communication in the Department of Communication at Bellarmine University. Her research interests center on the analysis of sociocultural messages in visual media ranging from film and television to memes and YouTube videos. She is especially interested in the portrayal of science and scientists in entertainment media.