Do you think the Netflix series Daredevil handled the issue of ableism well? Do you think it was covered too much, too little, or just right? Do you think the show helps diversify the stories we have about disabled people, or do you think it played into old stereotypes and tropes?
Through his heightened senses, he's able to perceive the world in ways that mitigate the disabling effect of his blindness. But he is still blind. When he's fighting, it's easy to forget that he can't see, because this show (as opposed to the 2003 Ben Affleck vehicle) rarely tries to depict how the world "appears" to Murdock. Maybe talk about other representations of blindness in movies or television shows, and compare it to Daredevil. Also, looking at the Daredevil movie staring Ben Affleck and Netflix's Daredevil, could also give a different perspective. – ADenkyirah9 years ago
I love this topic. I just started watching this show, and I would have said that they handle it very well. I learned some things about blind culture (like braille laptops... who knew?). That could be an interesting thing to include in the article, actually (how do those sort of references contribute to the audience's view of blindness?). I also appreciated the part in the first episode where he tells Karen that he does actually miss his sight; I liked that in spite of the fact that he's a badass superhero, he doesn't pretend that it's a non-issue. However, while we know that about him, we also know that he goes on with his life. He doesn't pity himself. It's just a part of him, like anything else. It's there, but it's not treated as this pitiable thing. If anything, I would say the show is the opposite of ableist. Also, I think the way new people interact with Matt is probably a good representation of how people might react to meeting a blind person. (Meeting Karen is a good example) At the same time, I wonder if he might face more discrimination than they show within the series. They don't ignore blind issues, I don't think, but I do think there is the potential for more. Then again, his blindness isn't the focus of the series; his superhero activities are. And would focusing more on his blindness just lead to an unrealistic demonstration of self-pity? I'm torn. So, it's a complicated topic. I guess it depends on what angle you want to take! – Laura Jones8 years ago