Approximately 48.9 million people around the United States have a disability of some sort, according to the National Service Inclusion Project. Even those without disabilities aren’t free from its influence. Twenty-nine percent of U.S. families have at least one member with a disability. Louisiana alone is home to 880,047 disabled people, according to East Baton Rouge Parish Health Profile.

Government and private businesses alike make concessions for disabled people. Ramps are built for those in wheelchairs, braille is offered on most signs and important documents for the visually impaired and interpreters learn sign language for the hearing impaired.

Policy makers show a concerted effort to give aid to those in need, but the media prefers to point its attention elsewhere.

As fans criticize media for poor representation, filmmakers and storytellers adapt. There is outcry over poor black representation, so more blockbuster movies feature black people. People complain about homosexuality’s vilification, so filmmakers write stories normalizing homosexuality.

Many contemporary film critics gripe about the oversaturation of female characters made for the purpose of being perfect women. The term “Mary Sue” describes fictional characters with no flaws who are liked by everyone. These characters are wish fulfillment and are most often female characters.

Male variants of the Mary Sue exist, but the stereotype is dominated by women. According to fans, simply getting representation isn’t enough. The negative reception of the female-led “Ghostbusters” film in 2016 remake shows making a character female for the sake of being female alienates audiences more than encouraging them.

Disabled people have it worse they rarely get representation at all. When they are represented, it’s often as pitiful victims, insensitive parodies or irrelevant roles.

Sitcoms champion the idea of disabled people making good punchlines. It’s all too easy to accidentally knock a person out of his wheelchair, or have someone yell at a deaf person. 

More serious media prefer to paint disabled people overzealously, as heroes finding a way to adapt to their situations. 

Action media-most notoriously comic books-often portray people with disabilities with enhanced abilities to counter their disabilities.

“Daredevil” was one of Marvel comics’ earliest heroes. Debuting in 1964, the hero was blinded at a young age, but the rest of his senses were enhanced to superhuman lengths. The irony is the blind hero could essentially see better than anyone else.

The popular 1994 film “Forrest Gump” shows a young boy who can’t walk properly simply move past his disability in a comic moment.

The original “Star Trek” series’ first season finale features first mate Mister Spock sacrificing his sight for the good of the team, only to remember his physiology allowed him a swift, full recovery.

Media provides disabled representation in a bare-bones and unhelpful form.

Some media representation goes above and beyond, however, to provide a more sensitive and accurate representation of disabilities.

“Hawkeye” is another Marvel superhero, often portrayed as the everyman heart of “The Avengers.” In 2012, Hawkeye became deafened in battle, and the next issue dealt with the character struggle with his newfound disability in a domestic setting.

The issue features sign language, as opposed to written word, to give the reader an idea of the path Hawkeye had been thrust upon.

Other examples of well-represented disabled people exist, but they are far and few in between. Their more shameful relatives sully the status of disabled people by posing them as pity cases or mundane heroes.

Contemporary media does a good job in representing traditionally underrepresented peoples. It isn’t perfect so far, and we have a long way to go. 

Sitcoms may make fools out of disabled people, but comics like “Hawkeye” push the boundaries. Comic creators give those with disabilities something to relate to, while giving everyone else a solid insight into the realities of living with a disability.

 Kyle Richoux is a 20-year-old sociology sophomore from LaPlace, Louisiana.