Becky Jackson is a character on Glee that has down syndrome and is unfortunately a walking stereotype because of it. Becky is played by Lauren Potter, a disability rights activist, actor, singer and dancer. The fact that Becky is featured on television may be groundbreaking, but the stereotyping that occurs unfortunately takes away from the progress.
The character of Becky has so much potential for complexity, but writers continually put her into a box. Similar to how homonormativity sets standards for how gay people “should act”, there are unwritten rules used in the depiction of characters with disability. Often times, Becky is caricaturized with stereotypes. Often times, Becky is pinned as the comic relief. She says obscene language for shock value, and is often found making fun of the other characters. This perpetuates the stereotypes that people with disabilities are sinister or laughable.
Unfortunately, the character of Becky had potential to be a new voice and standard for representation of people with disabilities, but the writing served our societal ideologies and not the disabled community. People with disabilities deserve to be portrayed with complexity, not as an evil sidekick to Coach Sue Sylvester that plots against the Glee club. The comedy of the show is problematic, because it serves the ableism agenda. Becky provides a service to Sue, and without Sue she is unable to live a regular life. When she is “unsupervised”, she brings a gun to school and accidentally shoots it, causing a frenzy. Sue takes responsibility, perpetuating the idea that people with disabilities are their own worst enemy, and need to be assisted.
These portrayals need to stop.
