Is 'Missing Model' Reality Show Exploiting the Handicapped?

By Mike Hess Posted Dec 1st 2009 03:33PM

Reality shows tend to fall into two classes: smart-informative and trashy-exploitative. Oftentimes, a key factor determining which side of the dividing line a show will fall into is whether a competition is involved. In the case of 'Britain's Missing Top Model,' the competition aspect of the show seems to be overwhelmingly turning what could have been an eye-opening look into human impairments into one of controversy, thanks to the fact that women missing limbs are competing against deaf women with no visual signs of impairment.

'Missing Top Model,' a BBC series coming to American television, documents a modeling competition between female contestants who have disabilities of varying forms and severity. Some are amputees, some are paralyzed, and some are deaf. The participants must go through challenges like any other modeling reality show, with the endgame being a Marie Claire magazine spread.

How would being deaf adversely affect an attractive male of female from pursuing a career in modeling, and why would they be lumped into a group of contestants with very visual disabilities? It's decisions like this that have some questioning the intentions and decisions behind 'Missing.'

Mary HK Choi, an entertainment writer for the news blog TheAwl.com, thinks that 'Missing Model' "is hideously exploitative and inane. How is this real? It would be a hysterically apt indicator of the end of the world were it entirely fictitious and created for an apocalypse movie wherein humankind is destroyed for being revolting." She goes on to argue the point "that deaf people are lumped in with women with physical deformities for sufficiently 'missing' or 'lacking in something' is ridiculous. Even the rhetoric of the show is gross."

AOL Television editor Kelly Woo agrees, saying that "including deaf contestants seems a bit unfair since their disability isn't apparent on camera."

And judging from some episode pullquotes printed in the New York Times, the 'Missing' contestants aren't fans of the format choice either.

For instance, after one competition, Sophie -- a 23-year-old paralyzed contestant who is in a wheelchair -- vents about how her deaf competitor Kellie wins a challenge despite not having any visual impairments. "The chance to meet a designer who is willing to put a disabled girl in his show is such an opportunity, but I want someone to choose a girl with a really obvious, really visual, really kind of blatant disability," Sophie says after Kellie wins an audition. "So that it makes a change. And choosing someone like Kellie is not really the same - it's the same as just picking a girl that speaks French."

So, while the contestants may willingly be on the show as a way to show their natural beauty no matter what the conditions, the show's decision to equate all disabilities seems to be the show's downfall.

Tags: britains missing top model, BritainsMissingTopModel, models

Comments

(25)

Thursday 03 December

By Allen

Vote down Vote up Report this

if there makeing monies and not from ssi.......then there none of them actually disabled there like the so called "disabled drunks and druggies"both self inflicted disabilities..... Users Of The Disabled's Label/resources For Personal Profits,... if you can be gainfully employed your not actually disabled just a "system user" and thats insulting not disabled/ing Realities Are Harsh SomeTimes But No less Real

By Barbara

Reality shows are in no way "REALITY" so that being said, anyone that believes this is true life situations is just as crazy as these people sitting around thinking up this crap. Now, as far as the models with disabilities, I'm sure these ladies are beautiful in their own right. I don't think they all should be placed in one catagory. They all have different disabilities so why not just let them just shine in their own right? Different situations calls for different models. Some will do better than others, but they all have the confidence to stand up and be out there to make a difference in their lives and maybe someday, someone else's life....

By donnie

this all may be true but ultimitly its the disabled person whom choses to be exploited by auditioning for the show so stop whining or if you still want to whine go whine to the people auditioning and down them for it because without them there would be no show right????

By The Way It Is

Television is a big thousand-ring circus. And as long as there are circuses, there will be (call it what you like) freak shows. It's up to the individual viewer to decide whether or not to pay the two bits.

Wednesday 06 January

By John J

So-called "reality" shows are not even close to actual 'reality'. As a deaf/blind person I fail to see the value in the exploitation. Should a model be disabled that is fine. But to focus on that as the central theme is only using her.

There are many things that are not visual. Are they 'disabilities'? That is up to the individual. "Disability" is an attitude. Some see deaf as a disability and therefore in need of 'fixing'. Yet others (myself included) do not see deaf as a disability. As a result, it is incorrect to exploit it.

Regardless of whether or not something is visible it is up to the individual and society as a whole to see the value in the person. Should someone see someone who is visibly different from themselves as 'disabled' I would suggest that they enlighten themselves to the fact that we *all* are different from each other in one way or another.

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