The insufficient representation of disabled characters in cartoons makes it difficult for children to understand the reality of disability. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aybike Serttaş, a faculty member of the Faculty of Communication at Istinye University in the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department, made important statements on this topic to Anadolu Agency.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aybike Serttaş emphasized that disabled characters are not adequately represented in animated series and other productions. She stated that this lack of representation leads viewers to perceive disabled individuals as "subjects that should not be seen" and "marginalizes" them. During the interview, Serttaş highlighted that children grow up without learning about the reality of disability through cartoons, and as a result, they tend to marginalize their disabled friends when they encounter them in real life.
According to Assoc. Prof. Serttaş, in order to support the cognitive development of children and eliminate the obstacles that disabled individuals face in life, disabled characters should be represented more extensively and realistically in animated series. Our professor mentioned that representing disabled characters realistically can positively influence viewers' perspectives on disability and reduce social marginalization.
She concluded by stating that producers and scriptwriters need to take more responsibility in this regard.
Link to the interview: t.ly/fYHzO
