Beyond Disability Porn ( with a correction from Red Sox to Cincinnati Reds)

I was happy to read Bill Peace's blog post today titled Hard to Believe, Sports Illustrated, Teddy Kremer and Feel Good Stories. As a passionate disability advocate, Bill has opened my eyes on many occasions, and  in this post he addresses the trouble the media has -- and the propensity of our culture -- with depicting those with disability in a seeming attempt to highlight or inspire but rather demeans them. We call it disability porn, and I know that we're all guilty of it, at some point or another, even those of us who fight the stereotypes daily.

What's so unusual about the referenced story in Sports Illustrated is that it not only tells the inspiring story of a  Cincinnati Reds bat-boy who also has Down Syndrome, but it actually calls for more progress. In fact, the article by Paul Daugherty is titled Reds Bat boy with Down Syndrome a Great Story, But it Shouldn't End. 

I urge you to read both Bill's post and the Sports Illustrated article. Educate yourself and then pass along what you've learned.