Essay about Paralympic Games
In our society, disabled individuals are seen as abnormal, dysfunctional, less than, and unable to participate in normal daily activities. These are common stereotypes surrounding individuals with disabilities across the globe that can be proven inaccurate due to the participation of para-athletes. In the Paralympic Games, there are numerous disabled athletes who take part in sports such as cycling, badminton, and tennis. Para-athletes can promote a positive change on how society views disabilities, especially if there is additional media representation. In the article, media campaigns and logos were deeply examined which portrayed para-athletes as superhuman, extraordinary, and supercrip which can result in a mangling effect on Paralympic athlete’s physical performance and cognitive abilities (Silva & Howe, 2012). If an individual who has a disability is living a normal life, they are seen as successful because society’s expectations of them are minimal. This same scenario is how society views para-athletes as victorious because they have not only conquered their disability but are continuing to participate in elite sports.
A high need for creating inclusion in our society is necessary for disabled individuals because they merely do not want to be considered an outlier or distinct from others. For example, if a young disabled teen desires to be a participant on the high school soccer team this individual may be discouraged by coaches or team players who look down upon disabilities. The coaches and team players have an assumption that disabled athletes are not real players or that they could never attain a position in the professional sports industry such as the Paralympic Games. This type of assumption can be harmful for young disabled individuals due to the common negative stereotypes that are within the disabled community. The primary goal is that disabled individuals aspire to be considered a productive member of society, which is why it is essential to encourage disabled individuals that they can obtain respectable jobs, have families, and participate in sports. Ultimately, the Paralympic Games can encourage disabled individuals to continue to fight for their passions for sports.
In terms of media representation and the quantity of audience viewers the Olympic Games is the primary entertainment source viewed by society in comparison to the Paralympic Games. Society views that the Paralympic Games as not an elite or real sport due to para-athletes having advanced technology. Due to this reason, there have been numerous media campaigns for Paralympic athletes throughout the past twenty years. These media campaigns represent disabled athletes as incredible athletes, heroes, and super-athletes (Silva & Howe, 2012). Although, these strong words are not ideal to para-athletes views, Paralympic athletes are constantly fighting for equality and raising awareness for the disabled community. Numerous Paralympic athletes often argue to society that they are equivalent to Olympic athletes. For example, both Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are represented through television, compete in the same sports, and even a small percentage of para-athletes can compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympic Games.
The significance of this article is that it is essential to understand how media images and campaigns can affect societies perceptions of disabled athletes along with influencing para-athletes themselves (Silva & Howe, 2012). Paralympics athletes have an influence and promote how society perceives disabilities. One way to promote the Paralympic Games is through television campaigns, images of athlete’s prosthetics, and showing that these athletes never give up on their goals. In addition, representing disabled athletes as superhumans or supercharge provides society more acceptance towards the Paralympic Games. Expressing that para-athletes are superhumans can prove to society ideas that these athletes are special and not the same as an able-bodied athlete because of their highly advanced prosthesis or current injuries. Ultimately, the primary goal is that Paralympic athletes attempt to prove they are the equal to an Olympic athlete and are not any more diverse than an average human being.
Some of the prominent aspects of this article is that it deeply discusses that these campaigns and project designs have been happening over the past twenty years promoting the Paralympic Games (Silva & Howe, 2012). Every year there are numerous innovative designs of logos and media campaigns all promoting that Paralympic athletes can participate in the sports industry due to their athletic abilities. These plans primary goals are to assist society build support toward para-athletes and provide a greater audience for the Paralympic Games. Ultimately, these campaign logos can be successful by allowing more recognition and more inspiration for the disabled community and Paralympic athletes (Silva & Howe, 2012). Another high point of this article examines how para-athletes view these campaigns of being referred to as “special” due to their disability. This can affect a para-athletes ability to perform well by negativity impacting physical and social development (Silva & Howe, 2012). This may be due to Paralympic athletes requiring adjustment to society’s views on how performance should be viewed in the sport’s industry and how the impaired are seen as triumphant.
Numerous topics were omitted from this article such as not deeply discussing the issues of masculinity in para-athletes. In society, disabled individuals are often seen as not being able to perform daily tasks and unable to exceed societal expectations. Well, if Paralympic athletes are being referred to as extraordinary athletes due to their injuries, it can affect maintaining masculinity in para-athletes. Society perceives para-athletes as weak and uncapable of being considered a real man. For example, an Olympic male sprinter will be perceived as a strong and masculine athlete. On the other hand, para-athletes are constantly attempting to prove that they are capable to compete against Olympic athletes.
This article should be recommended to anyone who wants to obtain knowledge on how Paralympic athletes are represented across the country. The promotion of para-athletes can provide recognition and encourage inspiration across the globe. In addition, it can cause harm in para-athletes. Para-athletes may become frustrated in proving that there needs to be inclusion for all regardless of the type of disability an athletic man or woman is facing. Being labeled as superhuman in campaign logos may not be the exact route to promote equality for all, although, it does provide further promotion of viewers each year for the Paralympic Games, which can endorse youths to participate and encourage inclusion in sports.
