Before you start giggling uncontrollably because of the word “porn,” let me first explain to you what inspiration porn is. According to Australian disability rights activist and comedian Stella Young, “Inspiration porn is an image of a person with a disability, often a kid, doing something completely ordinary - like playing, or talking, or running - carrying a caption like ‘your excuse is invalid’...it’s there so that non-disabled people can put their worries into perspective...It’s there so that non-disabled people can look at us and think ‘well, it could be worse...I could be that person.’” A bit satirical I know, but Stella Young has a point.
How often do you come across images like these on social media?
What’s the first word that comes to mind?
Inspirational?
That’s the point.
Stella Young was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a bone disease that kept her in a wheelchair for most of her life. Before her unfortunate passing in 2014, Young was an advocate for people with disabilities, coining the term “inspiration porn.” Young wrote for an Australian online magazine called Ramp Up. In her article entitled, “We’re Not Here For Your Inspiration,” Young talks about how non-disabled people tend to exaggerate the ordinary activities that disabled people participate in. She finds it belittling and condescending.
The most popular form of inspiration porn that we see today are “promposals.” Not just any promposals, promposals where the head cheerleader or that captain of the football team asks a peer with autism to the prom. I know what you’re thinking. Shut up, random Odyssey writer! I love those videos because it makes me happy and shows that people are kind and have compassion and blah, blah, blah. I love those videos too, but that’s the point! It’s a viral video! It’s meant for people to watch and think “Oh, quarterback Carter is such a good person for asking Down Syndrome Debby to the prom!” It’s inspiration porn. It’s a nice gesture, I know. But it’s even nicer to do it without everyone’s camera out.
But I know what else you’re thinking! “People record those videos to inspire others to do the same!” You're right. And it's nice to spread some love, but gestures like these should be done everyday, without video proof. I'm not saying that people should stop asking their peers to prom, I'm simply saying the viral sensations are not necessary.
It is critical that we treat everyone with kindness and compassion, and not just to make ourselves look like better people. So stop the inspiration porn and just live your life, harnessing the energy of pure love.
