Tag Archives: Representation

The Good Doctor: Season One, Episode Seven

This is it. Dr. Shaun Murphy's first interaction with an autistic patient. I knew it was coming -- It's an obvious and necessary direction for Shaun's story to take. Even in the bizarre, distorted world of a prime time medical drama, Shaun can't reasonably be the only autistic person on Earth. There was exciting news: Liam, Shaun's autistic patient, would be played by an actually autistic actor: Coby Bird. Bird is 15, talented, and has previously appeared on the ABC comedy Speechless. I hope to see him in future episodes of The Good Doctor. It would be wonderful if Shaun could act as a mentor or role model of sorts, rather than Liam merely being a patient-of-the-week. That said, I was terrified that this episode would advocate for what Julia Bascom has called, "the IQ test for human rights." Some toxic corners of our community believe autistic people perceived as … Continue Reading ››

The Good Doctor: Season One, Episode Four

I have a confession to make: Oftentimes media criticism with a dash of social justice feels like a race to see who can say the most cutting, critical things about poor representation first. Sometimes, like with Atypical, the ire is well deserved. Other times, I feel pressure to declare something irredeemably Problematic before really giving it a chance. Another related confession: I actually really liked this episode of The Good Doctor. I feel like Dr. Shaun Murphy got to be an actual, flawed person. There are several instances where I sort of wanted to slap him, but not because I thought he was being written badly -- Only that he was making some of the same mistakes I or autistic friends have made in the past while trying to figure out how to be an independent adult. Note: I would not actually slap anyone unless they explicitly asked me to … Continue Reading ››

Someone Should Help Disabled People Run for Office

In the wake of the 2016 election, voters across America disappointed with the November 8th results mobilized to express their desire for progress. From social media pledges and petitions to large-scale movements like the record-breaking Women’s March on Washington, Americans found creative ways to express their opinions on a divisive election. For more than a few citizens, the election mobilized them to push their civic participation to a new level: Running for office. Organizations devoted to supporting “average citizens” interested in running for office saw a spike in interest across the country. She Should Run, an organization and political incubator that offers nonpartisan training for women interested in running for office, saw 4,500 new sign-ups following the election. There are a large number of programs across the country that provide support similar to, and … Continue Reading ››