Disability Representation On Druck

A call for the inclusion of a disabled character and disability centered narrative in Druck's next generation.  Google Form (Submissions)

[druckdisabilityrep]

An Open Letter to the DRUCK Team

This letter is a call for the inclusion of a disabled character and disability centered narrative in Druck's next generation. It has been sent to various members of the DRUCK team, including Funk, Bantry Bay, the Q3 writing collective, and Jünglinge.

Written in English by Harper. Graciously translated into German by Nadine, Lou, Paula, Sophia, Oli and Franzi. 

Thank you all for your time and support. 

------------

Hello,

My name is Harper, a 21-year-old disabled woman currently studying creative writing and disability studies in pursuit of my undergraduate degree. I am also a big fan of DRUCK, and have derived great joy, peace, enjoyment, and friendship from my experience watching and engaging with the show. I am writing on behalf of myself, the DRUCK community, and the disability community to call for the inclusion of a disabled character and disability centered narrative in the upcoming next generation seasons of DRUCK.

DRUCK as a show and as a remake of Skam aims to tell authentic stories of the amazing, diverse population of young people at this moment in history. DRUCK has done well by this ambition of representation, inclusion, and respect by in-depthly telling the stories of Amira as a hijabi Muslim woman learning to navigate her worlds, David as a transgender man of color learning to trust in love, Matteo as a gay man learning to open up to his community, Mohammed as a Syrian refugee learning to find his home again, Mia as a sexual assault survivor learning to give and receive support, and Hanna as a woman learning to engage with female friendship and self-love. Supporting characters of color such as Sam and Abdi, supporting queer characters like Hans and supporting characters with mental health disorders such as Kiki also contribute to the authenticity and holisticness of DRUCK’s representation of the human experiences.

However, this range of meaningful representation and authentic storytelling will never be complete without the inclusion of disability.

Globally, an estimated 1 in 5 people are disabled, making the disability community the largest marginalized group in the world. Despite this fact, disabled people are often left out of numerous narratives. This includes the media narratives, justice narratives, and representation narratives that DRUCK engages with. DRUCK has represented every major category of marginalization and identity-based minority status, except for disability. There are currently no canonically disabled characters in DRUCK; this is an oversight in the representation of young people.

Disability affects young people in vastly profound ways that deserve to be represented in media. These stories range in the type of disability, journey to disability identity, and intersectionality. All these beautiful, diverse disability stories deserve to be told and their telling holds a deep power. I know this to be undeniably true not just from my studies of disability and media, but from my own personal experience with disability and with DRUCK.

My story of disability began at birth but became contextual at age 7 when I was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability that my teachers and peers refused to believe I had because I was doing well in school. This climate of disbelief extended to a lack of accommodation and became the backdrop to a ten-year diagnosis journey that I led for myself because I knew my brain functioned differently in more ways than dyslexia. It took years of personal turmoil, social exclusion, self-suppression, desperate appeals for support, and endless research for me to forge my way to a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder with co-occurring Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder.

At age 17, I received these diagnoses “late” but I am actively working to make up for the time that was stolen from me by systemic ableism, heteronormativity, and misogyny. For the past four years, I have been working hard to engage with my disability identity by surrounding myself with the disability community, academically studying disability, working for disability justice, creating disability media, and shamelessly speaking out about my disabled experiences. This final point of action is the most important to me as it is foundational to everything I do and to my personal well being. And I can proudly say that it would not be possible without DRUCK.

Along with many other autistic people, I have seen myself in Matteo in a way that is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Matteo is not a canonically autistic character, but that has not stopped me and the autistic DRUCK community from relating to him in a way indicative of our autism and coding him as an autistic character.

When I first began to think of Matteo as autistic, I felt a deep sense of shame. My internalized ableism told me that it was absurd to think of him autistic, that I was crazy for thinking I was allowed to see myself represented and that I needed to keep my disabled experience of the world locked away.

But, I didn’t listen to my internalized ableism. I found the courage to silence that evil voice in my head by leaning into the power of representation that was radiating from my screen as I watched and rewatched season three of DRUCK, as I read other autistic people share their autistic coding of Matteo, and as I wrote and shared a detailed meta-analysis of why I see Matteo as autistic.

This meta-analysis was the start of a year of Autistic Matteo content creation from me and so many other autistic people, but moreover, it was the start of me putting my internalized ableism, shame, and self-silencing to rest. From the moment I accepted Matteo as autistic and began to think of him as a representation of myself, I felt infinitely more in tune with the world and myself. This feeling of belonging, purpose, and pure joy has increased every day since because I live in a world where I have a character I can see myself in and a community of people – both autistic and nonautistic – who share in this with me. It is because of Matteo and DRUCK that I am able to do the radical act of being myself and speaking my truth as a disabled person in the face of oppression and adversity.

All this life-changing empowerment comes only from a non-canonically disabled character who has been interpreted as disabled. Imagine all that could come from an intentionally canonically disabled character. Imagine how much fiercer the empowerment I described would be within just one disabled person. Imagine how many more disabled lives would be touched with this empowerment of representation. Imagine how many nondisabled people would grow in their understanding, empathy, and compassion for disabled people. Imagine how much better our world would be with so much ableism and internalized ableism put to rest.

These beautiful realities are possible through the power of disability representation. DRUCK has the chance to be an active and powerful player in the fight for disability justice by intentionally creating thoughtful, accurate, and well-executed disability representation.

Therefore, I, as a disabled person, call upon DRUCK to introduce a disabled character into the main cast of the new generation.

This character should be authentically cast and written with input from disabled writers.

This character should be given storylines that are both about and not about their disability.

These storylines should be thoughtful, respectful, and impactful. They should not play into harmful disability stereotypes and tropes, such as inspiration porn, fixation on a cure, lack of romance, trauma porn, and infantilization.

It would be ideal if this character was intersectional; disabled people can be any gender, race, sexuality, religion, etc.

It would be ideal if this disabled character was not the only disabled character on the show; disabled people often have disabled friends and since 1 in 5 people are disabled, having more than one disabled character is actually more true to life.

Regardless of the number of disabled characters on DRUCK, it is imperative that at least one disabled character be considered a main character with rich development who could receive their own POV season.

If this character and their storylines are informed by prudent research that includes first-person accounts from disabled people, these requests should not be difficult to achieve, but the automatic result of diligent thought and work.

This representation is an act of justice work that fits perfectly within DRUCK’s mission as a show and within the effect it has already had on the world. DRUCK is well equipped to create this representation and is trusted by its fan base to produce intelligent, respectful stories with impact that is both deep and wide. Thanks to DRUCK’s history of authentic casting, informed storytelling, and community feedback, I personally trust DRUCK to be an exception to the rule of lacking or disrespectful disability representation.

Below, I have linked the DRUCK Disability Rep social media accounts I operate, which contain more material such as this letter, input from other DRUCK fans and a display of support from the DRUCK audience. I have also linked a few resources about Autistic Matteo. As a disabled woman, disability justice worker, disability studies student, and a DRUCK fan, I am always available for further conversations about this topic, should that be necessary.

Thank you very much for your time.

Wishing all the best,

Harper

Tumblr: @druckdisabilityrep

Instagram: @/druckdisabilityrep

Twitter: @/druckdisability

A Sample of DRUCK Fans Singing In Support:

Alberta

Julia

Anastasia

Taru

Haven

Juul

Kseniya

Michelle

Stephanie

A.B.

Paula

Priscilla

Saba

Sophia

Sveta

------------

Hallo,

mein Name ist Harper. Ich bin eine 21-jährige Frau mit Behinderung, die zur Zeit im Bachelor kreatives Schreiben und Disability Studies studiert. Ich bin außerdem ein großer Fan von DRUCK. Ich habe durch diese Sendung und meine Beteiligung in der Druck Community viel Freude, Kraft, Vergnügen und Freundschaften gewonnen. Ich schreibe für mich, aber auch im Namen der DRUCK Community und der Community von Menschen mit Behinderung, um darum zu bitten, einen Charakter mit Behinderung und eine Geschichte, welche Behinderung zum Thema macht, in der ‘neuen Generation’ aufzunehmen.

DRUCK als Serie und als Remake von Skam zielt darauf ab, authentische Geschichten von jungen Leuten zu erzählen, die deren Diversität reflektieren. DRUCK hat bereits gezeigt, dass es sich lohnt, Geschichten von Minderheiten eine Plattform zu bieten, und hat respektvoll tolle und einzigartige Charaktere und Geschichten erschaffen: Amira als Hijab tragende Muslima, die lernt ihre beiden Welten in Einklang zu bringen; David als trans Mann of Color, der lernt, der Liebe zu vertrauen; Matteo als schwuler Mann, der lernt, sich der eigenen Community gegenüber zu öffnen; Mohammed als Flüchtling aus Syrien, der lernt, sein Zuhause wieder zu finden; Mia als Überlebende eines sexuellen Übergriffs, die lernt, Hilfe zu geben und Hilfe anzunehmen; und Hanna als Frau, die sich mit Freundschaft unter Frauen und Selbstliebe beschäftigt. Nebenfiguren, die Schwarz und of Color sind, wie Sam und Abdi, queere Nebenfiguren wie Hans und Nebenfiguren, die mit der mentalen Gesundheit kämpfen wie Kiki, tragen auch der Authentizität und Ganzheitlichkeit der Darstellung menschlicher Erfahrungen in DRUCK bei.

Allerdings wird diese Bandbreite an bedeutsamer Repräsentation und authentischer Geschichtenerzählung ohne die Einbeziehung von Behinderung nie vollständig sein.

Es wird geschätzt, dass weltweit eine von fünf Personen eine Behinderung hat, welches die Gruppe der Menschen mit Behinderung zur größten marginalisierten Gruppe der Welt macht. Nichtsdestotrotz werden Menschen mit Behinderung immer noch bei unzähligen Erzählungen ausgegrenzt. Das betrifft das mediale, das rechtliche und repräsentative Narrativ, mit dem DRUCK sich beschäftigt. DRUCK hat jede der großen marginalisierten Kategorien repräsentiert, außer die der Menschen mit Behinderung. Zur Zeit gibt es keine in der Serie bestätigten Charaktere mit Behinderung. Dies ist ein Manko in der Repräsentation von jungen Menschen. 

Behinderungen beeinflussen junge Menschen enorm und sie verdienen es, in den Medien Repräsentation zu finden. Diese Geschichten erstrecken sich von der Art der Behinderung über den Weg zur Identität bis hin zur Intersektionalität. Diese wunderbaren und diversen Geschichten verdienen es, erzählt zu werden und deren Erzählung bringt so ein großes Potential mit sich. Ich weiß nicht nur durch mein Studium von Medien und Behinderung, dass dies zweifellos der Fall ist, sondern auch durch meine eigenen Erfahrungen mit Behinderung und DRUCK.

Meine Geschichte mit Behinderung begann mit der Geburt, wurde aber kontextuell, als ich mit sieben Jahren Legasthenie diagnostiziert bekommen habe, eine Lernbehinderung, die mir meine Lehrkräfte und Gleichaltrigen nicht abgenommen haben, weil ich in der Schule gut war. Dieses Umfeld voller Zweifel führte zu einem Mangel an Entgegenkommen und Unterstützung, und wurde zum Kontext für eine zehnjährige Reise zu meiner Diagnose, die ich selbst anführte, weil ich wusste, dass mein Gehirn in mehr Aspekten als nur Legasthenie anders funktionierte. Es dauerte Jahre, die geprägt von persönlichen Turbulenzen, sozialer Ausgrenzung, Selbstunterdrückung, verzweifelten Bitten um Unterstützung und endloser Recherche waren, um schließlich eine Diagnose von Autismus-Spektrum-Störung mit gleichzeitiger Störung der Sinnesverarbeitung, ADHS, Angststörung und schwerer Depression zu bekommen.

Mit 17 habe ich diese Diagnosen “spät” erhalten, aber ich arbeite bewusst daran, die Zeit, die mir von systemischem Ableismus, Heteronormativität und Misogynie gestohlen wurde, wieder wett zu machen. In den letzten vier Jahren habe ich mich viel mit meiner Identität in Bezug auf meine Behinderung auseinandergesetzt, indem ich mich mit der Community von Menschen mit Behinderung umgeben habe, Behinderung in einem akademischen Umfeld studiere, für Gerechtigkeit für Menschen mit Behinderung kämpfe, Medien erschaffe, die sich mit Behinderung auseinandersetzen und ganz offen über meine Erfahrungen als Person mit Behinderung spreche. 

Dieser letzte Punkt ist für mich am wichtigsten, da dies für alles, was ich tue, und für mein persönliches Wohlergehen grundlegend ist. Und ich kann stolz sagen, dass das ohne DRUCK nicht möglich wäre.

So wie viele andere autistische Menschen habe ich mich selbst in Matteo wiedererkannt. In einer Art und Weise, wie ich es noch nie erlebt habe. Matteo ist innerhalb der Serie nicht autistisch, aber das hat mich und die Community nicht davon abgehalten, uns mit ihm zu identifizieren. Wir sind ihm in vielen Eigenschaften ähnlich, die indikativ für unseren Autismus sind, und ihn so als autistische Person kodieren.

Als ich anfing, mir Matteo als Autist vorzustellen, habe ich mich geschämt. Mein internalisierter Ableismus hat mir gesagt, es sei absurd, dass Matteo autistisch sein könnte, dass ich verrückt wäre, zu denken, es sei mir erlaubt, mich in ihm repräsentiert zu fühlen und dass ich meine Erfahrungen als Mensch mit Behinderung versteckt halten sollte.

Aber ich habe nicht auf diesen internalisierten Ableismus gehört. Ich habe den Mut gefunden, diese Stimme zu ignorieren und die positive Kraft der Repräsentation, die ich gefühlt habe, als ich Staffel 3 von DRUCK noch einmal geschaut habe, anzunehmen. Ich habe gelesen, wie andere autistische Menschen sich in Matteo erkennen und ich habe selbst eine ausführliche Meta-Analyse darüber geschrieben, wieso Matteo in meinen Augen Autist ist.

Diese Meta-Analyse war der Start für ein Jahr voller kreativer Werke,  die viele andere autistische Menschen und ich erschufen. Aber vor allem war es der Auslöser, dass ich meinen internalisierten Ableismus, mein Schamgefühl und Stummbleiben abgelegt habe. Von dem Moment an, in dem ich Matteo für mich als Autist akzeptierte und ihn als Repräsentation für mich und meine Erfahrungen sah, habe ich mich wohler mit mir und der Welt gefühlt. Dieses Gefühl von Zugehörigkeit, Sinn und purer Freude ist jeden Tag stärker geworden, seitdem ich in einer Welt lebe, in der ich mich in einem fiktionalen Charakter wiedererkenne, und eine Gemeinschaft von Menschen habe – Autisten und nicht-Autisten – die dies mit mir teilen. Es ist wegen Matteo und DRUCK, dass es mir möglich ist, radikal ich selbst zu sein und meine Wahrheit als behinderte Person, die Unterdrückung und Ausgrenzung erfährt, auszusprechen und zu teilen.

All diese lebensverändernden und empowernden Momente kommen nur davon, dass ich mich in einem Charakter wiedergefunden habe, der ‘nur’ von den Fans als Autist interpretiert wurde. Stellt euch mal vor, was ein Charakter der im Kanon eine Behinderung hat auslösen könnte! Stellt euch vor, wie viel stärker dieses Empowerment würde, durch einen Charakter, der auch als behindert geschrieben wurde. Stellt euch vor, wie viele Leben von Menschen mit Behinderung es berühren könnte. Stellt euch vor, wie viele Menschen ohne Behinderung mehr Verstehen, Empathie und Mitgefühl entwickeln könnten. Stellt euch vor, wie viel besser die Welt ohne Ableismus und internalisierten Ableismus wäre.

Diese wunderschönen Vorstellungen können, mithilfe von Repräsentation, Realität werden. DRUCK hat die Chance, eine aktive und machtvolle Rolle einzunehmen, wenn erstmals durchdachte, korrekte, und gut ausgeführte Repräsentation von Behinderung geschaffen wird.

Daher rufe ich DRUCK auf, für die ‘neue Generation’ einen Hauptcharakter mit Behinderung zu schreiben.

Dieser Charakter soll authentisch gecastet und von Autor*innen mit Behinderung geschrieben werden

Dieser Charakter soll Handlungsstränge bekommen, in denen es um, aber nicht NUR, die Behinderung geht

Diese Handlungen sollen rücksichtsvoll und eindrucksvoll sein. Sie dürfen nicht in schädliche Tropen und Stereotypen fallen (wie z. B. ‘inspiration porn’, die Fixierung auf eine Heilung, keine Liebesgeschichte, ‘trauma porn’ und Infantilisierung)

Es wäre optimal, wenn dieser Charakter intersektional beeinflusst würde; behinderte Menschen können jedes Geschlechts, jeder Ethnie, Sexualität, Religion etc. sein

Es wäre optimal, wenn dieser Charakter mit Behinderung nicht der*die Einzige in der Serie wäre; Menschen mit Behinderung sind oft mit anderen Menschen mit Behinderung befreundet, und da einer von fünf Menschen eine Behinderung hat, wäre dies sogar realistischer

Ungeachtet der Anzahl ist es zwingend erforderlich, dass mindestens ein Charakter mit Behinderung als Hauptcharakter, durch dessen Augen wir die Staffel erleben, in Betracht gezogen wird

Wenn das Schreiben dieses Charakters und der Handlung der Staffel mit ausreichend Recherche verbunden wird, und Menschen mit Behinderung an der Produktion beteiligt sind, sollten diese Forderungen nicht schwer zu erfüllen, sondern der logische Schluss dieser Arbeit sein.

Diese Repräsentation ist ein Akt der Gerechtigkeit, der perfekt in das Ziel von DRUCK passt, eine Show zu sein, die eine positive Auswirkung auf Jugendliche hat. DRUCK hat eine Fangemeinde, die den Machenden der Serie vertraut, respektvolle Geschichten zu erzählen, die einen weitreichenden Einfluss haben. Dank DRUCKs Geschichte von authentischem Casting, informiertem Storytelling und der Annahme von Feedback der Community, vertraue ich persönlich darauf, dass DRUCK die Ausnahme der Regel wird, respektlose Geschichten über Menschen mit Behinderung zu erzählen.

Im Folgenden habe ich Social Media Accounts verlinkt, die weiterführende Informationen erhalten. Desweiteren finden sich Ressourcen zu Matteo als Charakter mit Autismus. Als Frau mit Behinderung, Aktivistin, Studentin von Disability Studies und DRUCK-Fan bin ich immer verfügbar für weitere Konversationen über dieses Thema.

Vielen Dank für eure Zeit.

Liebe Grüße

Harper 

Tumblr: @druckdisabilityrep​

Instagram: @/druckdisabilityrep

Twitter: @/druckdisability

A Sample of DRUCK Fans Singing In Support:

Alberta

Julia

Anastasia

Taru

Haven

Juul

Kseniya

Michelle

Stephanie

A.B.

Paula

Priscilla

Saba

Sophia

Sveta

[lesbianjamies]

I always thought I was stupid. You are neither lazy nor stupid, okay?

[na-klar]

(missed call at 14:37)

Ilai: I'm still in a seminar 😬

What's the result?

Fatou: I have it!!!!

😨

Ilai: Wow! How are you feeling?

Fatou: Weird

Happy

Sad

I don't know 😅

Ilai: I'm really proud of you that you did it! 😘 now you have some answers at least!

What are you going to do now?

Fatou: Therapy takes a long time until it helps... I could box myself through the Abi but I don't know if I want that

The girls think I should try to switch to bio... but no idea if that's possible

Ilai: You can always try, can't you?

[inmyarmswrappedin]

I’m genuinely impressed with the stories the Druck team has chosen to tell in this new generation. 

I remember how touched people were in s3, because they had never seen a sex scene involving a gay man and a pre-op trans man wearing a binder on a mainstream show before. Not in Germany, and not in any other countries. 

It kinda seems like the team took note of this representational first, and have sought to portray underrepresented experiences, chosen not for their flashiness and impacting visuals, but for their potential when it comes to helping people, normalize experiences, break down taboos and answer questions.

For s5, they portrayed a dissociative disorder. From my cursory google search, all I’ve found when it comes to previous examples are portrayals of dissociative identity disorders. That is, characters with multiple personalities, such as Jekyll & Hyde, Two-Face, Gollum, Niki Sanders or Steve Urkel. It seems that Nora is a TV first when it comes to portraying a dissociative disorder involving physical feelings such as temperature, or emotions. They also normalized therapy, with both Nora, Kiki and Josh having gone to therapy at different points in their lives.

For s6, they portrayed a character with an invisible disability without telling us that’s what the season was about. Fatou’s portrayal hasn’t been defined by her disability. She has rather been compared to an axolotl and paralleled with a tortoise, as well as defined by her talent for music and affinity for animals. We have come to understand how her specific disability impacts all aspects of her life, from work to school to even her difficulties with telling time and find her way around the city. 

What’s more, I too googled characters with dyscalculia and was only able to find only one previous depiction of such (dyslexia being much more common), which was criticized because it depicted dyscalculia as a jumble of numbers (much like dyslexia is often portrayed and defined as people seeing letters backwards, etc). Instead of going for an easy visual way to portray dyscalculia, Druck went for the less flashy approach of just showing how ubiquitous numbers and spatial awareness are in our regular lives. In turn, people came to understand why dyscalculia is considered a disability without being told explicitly why. Fatou needs assistance because our daily lives require constant use of numbers. 

Fatou is one of the first ever characters with dyscalculia on a mainstream show, and she isn’t a white straight boy, but a black lesbian. And a little tax-funded show in Germany did that!

The fact that the Druck team noticed what questions German teens were asking themselves, found the answers for them and delivered them in story format is super appreciated. That they chose these stories not because of their flashiness or shock value or misery pxrn potential, because in fact viewers have noted how low-key (even boring) both seasons are, but because these were experiences that had yet to be normalized and represented on screen. And the fact that they cast minority actors for both main and secondary roles, even roles as small as Nora’s doctor. That pretty much every white actor they’ve cast is white for a reason (the camping owner, the Physics teacher, Karin, Mailin, Sporty Spice, even Nora when she texted Mailin about racism and allyship), when in most shows, it’s the other way around, most of the cast is white and minority actors are cast because their being a minority is central to their character.

I wish the Druck team a lot of success and I hope they get renewed for all the seasons they’ve planned for this gen. I can’t wait to see what they still have in store.

[joanatheskammer]

[shashasgorya]

#smart fatou

[gleedegrassi-bigfan]

The ableism inherent in Constantin’s words to Nora is so enraging, but absolutely realistic, in character and representative of the societal norm. I walk around every day as a disabled person and see ableism everywhere I look, mostly implicit ableism that is hidden in words like crazy. It’s a small word, but it carries the weight of institutionalization, stigma, and even sexism/misogyny. And most importantly, it screams out to whoever hears it that the person saying it hasn’t worked to unlearn their biases, hasn’t listened to disabled people, and is living with the ableism that is so built into our society.

So while it is appalling to hear Constantine’s words to Nora and the ableism of it all sets an uncomfortable fire in my stomach that reminds me of the ableism I face daily— while all that is true, it also makes me hopeful that Druck will do something here. They have presented Constantine as wrong and hurtful. If they continue to do so and if they work to call out the ableism in her actions, they will be doing truly exceptional work that will make a difference in the disability media landscape.

Even if this season isn’t about disability, Nora isn’t a member of the disability community and/or no one on the show is (yet🤞), Druck still has the power to do something laced with progress this season or in future seasons by actively calling out language like that of Constantin in this clip.

Many definitions of ableism include the fact that you do don’t have to be disabled to be affected by ableism. This is true in a very nuanced way because ableism is commonly used as the foundation for racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. 

Nora, who is not disabled as far as we know, doesn’t have to be disabled for these words to affect her because ableism is being used as a weapon of sexism and general hatred against her. So, therefore, Druck could very well address these kinds of words and actions as the harmful force they are, even drawing upon the truth of their ableism to do so. This can happen— and should happen— with or without a disabled character. 

Though, to be fair, Nora could be experiencing anxiety and other mental health symptoms. This could point to mental illness (which is technically a disability, by some definitions) or not— she is living through a very stressful situation, facing a lot of pressure and being forced to carry the weight of far more than a 16-year-old girl should have to. So the jury is still out and that is perfectly okay, as will whatever does end up being Nora’s disability status. 

The important thing the acknowledgement of ableism when it appears. I don’t know for sure that Druck will address Constantin’s harms as the ableist actions they are, but I certainly hope that Druck does. Especially if this becomes a pattern, as I could see it becoming as the season plays out or as the seasons of this next gen play out. 

But if nothing else, I am always glad to turn to the fandom and see the acknowledgment of these sorts of things. The illumination of ableism is too important to not do the work yourself while waiting for media to also do the same. 

I am personally excited to continue watching, enjoying, and engaging with Druck as I wait. 

[druckdisabilityrep]

Tomorrow July 22, I’ll be doing a Q&A over on the Druck Disability Rep Instagram story! (@druckdisabilityrep) Come with your questions about the project, disability representation, disability justice, Druck, myself, life with a disability, and whatever is on your mind! See you tomorrow!

[druckdisabilityrep]

Hello again!! I’ve noticed that (as someone who is disabled due to being mentally ill and autistic) that I tend to get along better with other disabled people. Be it similar to mine or not. And I think that would be interesting to see. How we connect with one another.

Yes! I absolutely agree. The interpersonal relationships and connections between disabled people are beautiful and very powerful. I have experienced this in my own life over and over again. The disability community is called a community for a reason. <3

Thank you for this submission, anon! 

[druckdisabilityrep]

Submission from AJ

“I have a speech impairment - a relatively common disability, yet one with little to no good representation in the media. Most of the time it's used as the punchline of a joke. 

The way I talk affects everything I do, from school to friendships to family, for as long as I can remember. My elementary school offered speech therapy, but they refused to give it to me beyond one session, saying that I was "A smart kid" and that I would "Grow out of it". By middle school, it was clear that I wasn't growing out of it anytime soon, so my parents had to pay for speech therapy out of their own pocket. I hated going - I felt humiliated, not only because I had such a difficult time making the sounds that everyone else could do naturally, but because I was always the oldest person in the waiting room. I would have extra speech homework to complete at home, and my parents would constantly get frustrated with me when I got something wrong - without realizing that I was the most frustrated out of all of us. 

Eventually I was allowed to "graduate" from speech, but, while my speech was slightly better, it wasn't even close to being perfect. I have to constantly focus while I talk to make sure that I don't lapse into old habits. I'm constantly thinking about the shape my mouth forms when I talk, making sure that I'm not talking too fast or too loud. 

My speech impairment causes a lot of difficulties at school. I've had teachers take points off for presentations for stuttering or mispronouncing words despite knowing that I can't help it. In addition, sometime teachers will ignore me when I raise my hand in class, not wanting to put in the extra effort to try and understand me. It's the worst in foreign language classes - there are words that it's impossible for me to pronounce no matter how hard I try. 

I also have difficulties in my social life. In group conversations I'll frequently be ignored or spoken over, and I'm always worried about making new friends, worried that people won't be willing to try to understand me. I'm starting college in a few weeks and a lot of my thoughts are revolving around this - around how I'll adapt, and how others will adapt to me.

This kind of story being represented in druck would mean so much to me. It would make me, and anyone else who has struggled with the same things, feel so much less alone. It's been my dream for a long time to one day make a movie or television show or write a novel in which a person with a speech impairment is the hero. However, I can't be the only one doing this. We need more stories centering around disabled characters. We need positive, real representation that we can relate to. We deserve to be more than just a punchline.”

[druckdisabilityrep]

Submission from Sam

“I guess self diagnosing either adhd or autism would be great for me. If that were portrayed. That and if they were non-binary?? Be still my heart lol. 😭😭😭 

It’s important that their sexuality isn’t erased either. Because that happens a lot with disabled characters, I feel.”

[druckdisabilityrep]

Submission from nadine_kagome

“I would like to see an autistic person on Druck.”

[druckdisabilityrep]

Submission from Haven

“My name is Haven, I’m 21 and I’m autistic. 

It’s actually thanks to the creator of the Druck disability rep movement that I started my own journey of acceptance of my autism.

Her autistic Matteo post showed me a lot of traits that I saw in myself that I didn’t know were associated with autism, despite studying psychology both as a special interest, and for my degree.

The thought had crossed my mind occasionally for years, but it was until I was 20, seeing a post about this character who I heavily identified with possibly being autistic that I realized that yes, I am autistic, and that’s okay.

The creator of this movement helped me accept that, and along the way has become a close friend of mine, who I’m incredibly proud of for all she’s doing in the world.

Finding positive, and non-stereotyped autistic stories is so difficult, and even without canon confirmation, Matteo means so much to me as an autistic person.

I’d love for there to be a canon disabled character in Druck to help spread awareness of disabilities, that they can affect anyone, of any age, gender, sexuality, race, and I really think that the Druck team could do an amazing job with such a story.”

[druckdisabilityrep]

Submission from M

“I have dyscalculia, which is a maths related learning difficulty, and I have never seen good, explicit representation in regards to this difficulty in any form of picture media. 

I have read a book though, called my thirteenth winter, which really spoke to me and helped me to finally come to terms with having dyscalculia and getting help. 

dyscalculia is such a little known learning difficulty and its insanely hard to get a diagnosis or any kind of support within school systems. I've been trying to get a diagnosis for almost 8 years now and I still don't have one, and the support at my school was abysmal because so little is known about this disability. 

having this kind of representation would mean the absolute word to me because I struggled for so long with what it means for me. 

dyscalculia also affects every single facet of my life - I can't tell the time, I struggle with perceiving any kind of numerical amount, when I go to the shops I don't know if I've paid enough or if I've been given the correct change etc - so to see someone struggling with the same things I do would make me feel so much less alone.”

[druckdisabilityrep]

Join the conversation!

Share your own story, your ideas for DRUCK and/or what disability representation means to you! (Or whatever you have to say!)

Send an ask, submit a post, submit to the google form, use #Druck Disability Representation when posting…anything is welcome!

[druckdisabilityrep]

Repräsentation von Menschen mit Behinderung in DRUCK

Eine Aufforderung für die Inklusion von Charakteren mit Behinderung und Geschichten mit Fokus auf Behinderung in der Nächsten Generation.

Lies hier den vollständigen Brief!

Übersetzung von Lou, Sophia & Oli

Bildbeschreibung unter 'Weiterlesen'

Bildbeschreibungen

Bildbeschreibung 1: Gelber und weißer Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “Repräsentation von Menschen mit Behinderung in DRUCK: Eine Aufforderung für die Inklusion von Charakteren mit Behinderung und Geschichten mit Fokus auf Behinderung in der nächsten Generation.”

Bildbeschreibung 2: Gelber und weißer Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “DRUCK hat sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, authentische, inklusive und respektvolle Geschichten zu erzählen, die die Diversität von jungen Menschen widerspiegeln.” Bilder von Amira, Matteo, David, Mia und Mohammed. Text: “Jedoch gibt es im Moment keine Charaktere mit Behinderung in DRUCK. Dies ist eine Auslassung von Repräsentation, die verbessert werden sollte.

Bildbeschreibung 3: Gelber, pinker, und weißer Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “Es wird geschätzt, dass 1 von 5 Personen mit einer Behinderung leben, was Menschen mit Behinderung zur größten marginalisierten Gruppe der Welt macht.” Bild von fünf Menschen in minimalistischem Stil, vier mit gelbem Hintergrund und eines mit pinkem Hintergrund. Text: “Obwohl es viele Geschichten über Behinderung gibt …” Bild von neun Emojis: Mann in manuellem Rollstuhl, Frau mit Laptop, Frau mit Blindenhund, stehende Frau, Person mit weissem Stock, Frau in motorisiertem Rollstuhl, gehörlose Frau, Mann mit Blindenhund, Person mit Hirn. Text: “… wird Behinderung oft aus Erzählungen ausgelassen und Menschen mit Behinderung werden nicht repräsentiert. Das ist ein Problem.”

Bildbeschreibung 4: Gelber und weißer Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: ”Repräsentation … Erkennt diejenigen an, die repräsentiert sind, Stärkt die Unterdrückten, Bildet die breite Masse, Inspiriert sozialen Wandel, Schafft eine bessere Welt, Zählt. In einer Welt mit tiefsitzendem Ableismus und einem massiven Fehlen von Gerechtigkeit für Menschen mit Behinderung ist die Repräsentation von Behinderung essentiell.”

Bildbeschreibung 5: Gelber Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “DRUCK wird deswegen aufgefordert, ein Teil der Lösung und nicht des Problems zu sein, indem im Hauptcast der nächsten Generation ein Charakter mit Behinderung einbezogen wird. Dieser Charakter soll authentisch gecastet sein und mit Input von Autor:innen mit Behinderung geschrieben sein. Dieser Charakter soll ein Hauptcharakter sein, der reichhaltige Entwicklung erhält und eine eigene Staffel bekommen könnte. Dieser Charakter soll Geschichten erhalten, in denen Behinderung sowohl im Vordergrund als auch im Hintergrund steht.”

Bildbeschreibung 6: Gelber Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “Diese Geschichten sollten durchdacht, respektvoll und wirkungsvoll sein. Sie sollten nicht in schädliche Stereotypen und Tropen spielen. Es wäre ideal, wenn dieser Charakter intersektionen hätte (kein weißer, heterosexueller, cisgender Mann). Es wäre ideal, wenn dieser Charakter nicht der einzige Charakter mit Behinderung in der Serie wäre (Freunde, Familienmitglieder, Gleichaltrige, Mentor:in mit Behinderung). Wenn dieser Charakter durch Recherche und Erfahrungen von Menschen mit Behinderung erschaffen wird, sollten diese Anliegen das automatische Resultat von fleißiger, rücksichtsvoller Arbeit sein, worin sich DRUCK bereits bewiesen hat.”

Bildbeschreibung 7: Gelber und weißer Text auf schwarzem Hintergrund: “Mehr Info und Updates findest du hier! @druckdisabilityrep auf Tumblr und Instagram und @druckdisability auf Twitter.” Bilder der Tumblr, Instagram und Twitter Icons. Text: “Sag es weiter und steh ein für Repräsentation von Behinderung in DRUCK!” Bilder einer Schwarzen Frau, eines weißen Mannes und einer weißen Frau in einem Rollstuhl, die Schilder mit folgendem Text in die Höhe halten: “Danke für deine Zeit und Unterstützung!”

Ende der Bildbeschreibung

[druckdisabilityrep]

Disability Representation on DRUCK 

A call for the inclusion of a disabled character and disability centered narrative in DRUCK next generation.

Read the full letter here!

Image descriptions under the cut! 

Image description

Slide One Image description: Yellow and white text on a black background that reads “Disability Representation on DRUCK: A call for the inclusion of a disabled character and disability centered narrative in DRUCK next generation.”

Slide Two Image description: Yellow and white text on a black background that reads “Per its ambitions as a show, DRUCK tells authentic, inclusive and respectful stories that reflect the amazing diversity of young people.” Images of Amira, Matteo, David, Mia and Mohammed. Text continues: “However, there are currently no canonically disabled characters on DRUCK. This is an oversight in the representation of young people that deserves to be remedied.”

Slide Three Image description: Yellow, pink and white text on a black background that reads “An estimated 1 in 5 people are disabled, making the disability community the largest marginalized group in the world.” Image of five people drawn in minimalist style; four have a yellow background and one has a pink ground. Text continues: “Despite there being a vast number of disability stories to tell…” Image of 9 emojis; man in manual wheelchair, woman with laptop, woman with guide dog, woman standing, person with white cane, woman in motorized wheelchair, deaf woman, man with service dog, person with brain. Text continues: “Disability is often left out of representation narratives and disabled people are left with a lack of representation. This is a problem.”

Slide Four Image description: Yellow and white text on a black background that reads  “Representation...Validates those represented, Empowers the oppressed, Educates the masses, Inspires social change, Creates a better world...matters. In a world with deeply ingrained ableism and a severe lack of disability justice, disability representation is essential.”

Slide Five Image description: Yellow on a black background that reads “DRUCK is therefore called upon to be a part of the solution, not the problem, through the inclusion of a disabled character in the main cast of the new generation. •This character should be authentically cast and written with input from disabled writers. •This character should be considered a main character with rich development who could receive their own POV season. •This character should be given storylines that are both about and not about their disability.”

Slide Six Image description: Yellow text on a black background that reads •These storylines should be thoughtful, respectful, and impactful. They should not play into harmful disability stereotypes and tropes. •It would be ideal if this character was intersectional. (not a white, straight cis man) •It would be ideal if this character was not the only disabled character on the show. (disabled friends, family, peers, mentors, etc.) If this character is informed by research and first-person accounts from disabled people, these requests should be the automatic result of diligent, thoughtful work, as is DRUCK’s strong suit.”

Slide Seven Image description: Yellow and white text on a black background that reads “Follow for more information and updates! @druckdisabilityrep on tumblr and instagram. @druckdisability on twitter.” Images of the tumblr, instagram and twitter icons. Text continues: “Spread the word and advocate for disability representation on DRUCK!” Images of a simply drawn black woman, a white man and a white woman in a wheelchair holding signs that read “Thanks for your time and support!”

End of image descriptions