Before the ADA was created, people with disabilities were unable to participate in many activities that the average person could. They had unfair access to housing, transportation, employment, etc. Due to this discrimination, the American with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This “prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government’ programs and services” (Americans with Disabilities Act N.d.).
Many other federal agencies have a role in enforcing the ADA, such as The U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), The U.S. Department of Transportation, and The U.S. Department of Justice. Its main purpose is to make society more accessible to those who have disabilities (Americans with Disabilities Act N.d.) . It has changed people with disabilities lives for the better and allowed them to finally be seen as a worthy member in society.
One of the most influential sources of how people perceive those with disabilities is through the media. More specifically, films have had a major impact on the public’s perception of these people. Many people have not had exposure to someone with a disability in real life, so they base the way they think about these people through movies and shows that may incorporate a character with a disability. Although films can be a good way to educate the public on different topics, they often use stereotypes to depict characters who have disabilities (Chervenak 2006).
“Disability is a phenomenon that is socially defined, has all-encompassing social consequences for individuals and has significant impact on societies”.
Chennat (2020)