Lights. Camera. Disability?
Amanda T. Adams
University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA

      For ten years, RDS has offered a resource for scholars, students, educators, researchers, and anyone interested in disability studies to tap into the field from a variety of perspectives. We have always found it very important to represent the international community so that we can understand disability studies wholly by way of each and every unique experience chosen for publication. In addition to our global perspective on current research, it has been the intention of RDS to provide an outlet for creative works as well. We believe that creativity can illustrate an idea just as effectively as a research paper, and the emotion it inspires can be far reaching, transcending language and cultural identity. 

      Over the weekend, while indulging in the overpriced entertainment available at my local movie theater, it was clear why movies are loved the world over. They have captured our souls for over a century. First they were a magical marvel, a display of technology and illusion, only to become completely entrenched in society- we repeat lines of dialogue in everyday conversation, borrow fashion and adopt details of lifestyles we feel compelled to mimic. In short, movies have become a source of direction, a compass, so that we can understand ourselves, where we fit in the world, and what dreams should be held in great esteem. For better or for worse, films serve as a tool, teaching us about our world and the others that inhabit it. This influence is a testament to the power of art. The question I can’t help but ask is how do we ensure that everyone is represented in these films? Where are people with disabilities in film and art? Why are they portrayed narrowly and by mainly able-bodied actors? Simply, we can’t rely on Hollywood to deliver such diversity just yet, and luckily we don’t have to.

      Of course people with disabilities are making art and are involved in every step of the various processes. Finally, through the Internet and its many outlets for self-publication, self-producing, and self-promoting, this art is surfacing in the mainstream more than ever before. The disability rights slogan, “Nothing about us without us” certainly applies to art. It has to! How can we understand someone’s experience, if he or she isn’t the one telling the story? RDS has always accepted creative pieces but as we move forward with the current transition, we hope to increase the number of creative works and multimedia submissions we receive. These sections are motivators for change, encouraging expression and fostering communication.  

As this weather-difficult Winter rolls into Spring, and the sun finally shines on your world, perhaps it’s time to tap into your own creativity. We want movies, photography, audio pieces, paintings, sculpture, poetry, and short stories. If it’s art, we want it, and don’t forget to spread the word. There are many stories left untold.
REVIEW OF DISABILITY STUDIES: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
Volume 11, Issue 1



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