Jessie Thinks

Advertisement with sexual innuendo, whhhaaat! We have never seen that before! Of course we have! But have we seen a lot of it, or any of it that depicts people with disabilities as being sexual?

I was able to have a really good chuckle-ok, the “ugly snort” laugh- at this advertisement, were you? If you weren’t able to right away that’s OK. I don’t think you’re alone. many people seem to be taken aback that the idea that someone with a disability might be sexual, and that -gasp- we might even enjoy sex!

This is interesting, what is so threatening, or uncomfortable about expressing these intimate needs? I’m not sure I have the answer, but I think the media beginning to portray a variety of diversity is a good start.

Research from Scope (A UK organization focused on equal opportunities for people with disabilities) has found that just over ⅔ of Brits admit they feel awkward around disabled people. Setting the coffee or tea feud aside, I’d imagine that the US would be similar.

This is where we get to give a big shout out and a BRAVO to Maltesers (BTW as an American, I have no idea what those round drops of chocolaty heaven really are, their advertising suggests that they are too delicious to let them fall all over the place like that though). With nearly a fifth of the US population living with a disability, and with the nation leading in the overall medal count for Paralympics, this is the right time to jump in and have a conversation!

You’d think, right? The US sent 289 athletes to Rio this year, how much media coverage have you noticed? I suppose I’m not so surprised, and I am pleased to have so much streaming available to us but I am disappointed nonetheless. I imagine Rio spent around 30 million dollars on their Paralympic opening ceremonies and I could not find it on any American network around prime time. Luckily, our hockey loving, poutine eating, maple leaf wearing, Tim Horton’s obsessed, Beiber creating, ever sorry neighbors to the north got it right and I was able to settle in for the show.

Even though I’m disappointed that the US has not spent very much money or time advertising and marketing the Paralympics, I am really happy to see that the UK and the Canadians are doing it right. I’ve been able to find quite a few ads from across the pond that have been poignant and funny while showcasing people with disabilities. Come on America, let’s get one of those Independence Day fireworks under our butt and lead the way to showing just how funny, sexy, approachable, confident, and passionate I am…well no, people with disabilities are…but come on…one in the same.

Comedy is a great way to shine a light on awkwardness that many people feel about disability. Humor is a more powerful weapon than we give it credit for. It can dispel uncomfortable feelings, break the ice, ease discomfort, and address division or biases in a non-threatening way. Adverts like this are perfect, it normalizes people with disabilities. Rather than creating distance by putting disabled people on a pedestal, Maltesers believes they can achieve more by showing disabled people simply as … people.

I think Emily Yates, presenter and disability advocate says it best: “Disability is a subject that is often dealt with in a really serious manner, which of course is sometimes needed. For those of us with disabilities though, it is important to see the light side of our impairments and many of us have hilariously awkward and unpredictable stories to tell that have often got us noticed for all the wrong reasons!

Disability needs to be normalised, understood and accepted, and campaigns like the one Maltesers has created are doing a fantastic job of making sure perspectives are changing.”

Let’s be honest, I hope that we can all get on board with looking at people with disabilities a little different. I mean, it only takes one look at me to see that I am obviously one crazy sexy beast ! 😉

With love and fast wheels,

J

Need more inspiration? Check out my girl Rachelle (paralyzed from the chest down) in her lingere photo shoot! Yowsers!

https://www.facebook.com/rachelleandchris/