Nina Muehlemann is doing a PhD in English Literature on ‘positive’ representation of disability in mainstream culture and Disability Culture. In her blog, she writes about her research, about disability in the media and in art and the gap between mainstream and Disability Culture.

‘Undateables' is back -and still gets it all wrong

10 January 2013

Blog

Channel 4’s ‘Undateables’ goes into season two. ‘Undateables’, despite its title, wants to come across as politically correct, respectful, sympathetic – treating its ‘extraordinary singletons’ as if they were regular folks. But, it seems to suggest to an assumed nondisabled audience, really disabled people are not the same as everyone else. Instead of including them in a regular dating show or of deeming some nondisabled people as...

Comments: 6

Disability, Food and Reality: A Blind Cook Wins Masterchef US

22 October 2012

Blog

This summer, disability was everywhere. The most surprising super-crip pop-up was that of Christine Ha in the American version of Masterchef. Ha has an auto-immune condition that caused her to become blind at the age of 19. Now 33, Ha came, cooked and won Masterchef US. First presented to us, Ha is all heroic super-crip, trying hard to overcome her disability by entering the contest. Whenever Ha’s in focus, the music becomes dramatic, the judges’ faces show both admiration and...

Comments: 1