"This isn't something I can fake": Reactions to "Glee"'s representations of disability

Authors

  • David Kociemba Emerson College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2010.0225

Keywords:

Crip drag, Fan community, Integrated dance

Abstract

Angered by how Glee's creators depict the character of Artie giving up on his dreams of being a dancer, I demonstrate the show's ignorance of integrated dance and wheelchair ballroom dance. A review of other responses reveals widespread criticism by disability studies scholars. However, the fan communities generally are unaware of what is missing, engrossed in shipping and music appreciation debates.

Author Biography

David Kociemba, Emerson College

Currently serving as the president of the Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College union, David Kociemba has taught at Emerson and at four other area colleges and universities for the past eight years. Past courses include introductory media history classes and seminars devoted to exploring topics like the representation of physical disability, video art, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In addition, he has taught classes on parliamentary debate, detective work, and fantasy gaming to talented 4th-12th grade students at College Academy and the Roxbury Boys and Girls Club. His writing focuses on the work of Todd Haynes, Joss Whedon, and Jane Espenson. David has previously written for Slayage, Buffy Goes Dark: Essays on the Final Two Seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Buffy and Angel Conquer the Internet: Essays on Online Fandom, A Dragon Ate My Prom (forthcoming) and Teaching with Buffy the Vampire Slayer (forthcoming). He won the 2007 Short Mr. Pointy Award for his article, “‘Actually, it explains a lot’: Reading the Opening Title Sequences of BtVS.” He is the editor-in-chief of Watcher Junior, an online, peer-reviewed journal devoted to publishing undergraduate scholarship on Joss Whedon.

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Published

2010-09-15

Issue

Vol. 5 (2010)

Section

Symposium

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