Pulled this off another list, thought you all might be interested:


Subject: How Changing Ads in Health and Fitness Can Change Attitudes Towards
People with Disabilities
From: "John G. Reiss" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 08:54:22 -0500
X-Message-Number: 1

From:  NCPAD NEWS=20

How Changing Ads in Health and Fitness Can Change Attitudes Towards
People with Disabilities

by Joanne Bauman


Disability is as much an attitude as it is a condition.  Attitudes,
perceptions, beliefs, and stereotypes are influenced by many factors,
including the media.  Most disability-related magazines and other media
already contain many positive images, so advocacy for attitude change
should focus on increasing inclusion in media geared to the general
public.  To the public and media, health/fitness and disability often
seem mutually exclusive; this perception perpetuates barriers to health,
exercise, and recreation.

What are the implications of the images in existing sports and fitness
advertisements?  Attitudes that are perpetuated by the media, including
advertising, are society's emphasis on the "body beautiful" -- physical
integrity, personal appearance, and athletic prowess (Roessler and
Bolton, 1978; Wolfe, 1996; Wright, 1983).  As with most advertising
images, the "pretty people" and least "disabled-looking" are depicted.


Click on the rest of the story at
http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/bauman101502.htm

From:

NCPAD NEWS: November 2002, Volume 1, Issue 8
A monthly publication of NCPAD - the NATIONAL CENTER on PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY and DISABILITY

See:  NCPAD website at www.ncpad.org

Beth T. the OT

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