Overview
Scroll and Reflect: Disability, Identity, and Influence on
Social Media”
- Personal Observation
Think about the content you regularly see on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or X (formerly Twitter).- Have you ever come across disability-related content—either intentionally or unintentionally?
- What stood out to you? What emotions or thoughts did it spark?
- Critical Engagement
Choose one public social media account or post related to disability and physical activity (e.g., an adaptive athlete, disability rights campaign, brand ad, or #DisabledAndCute post).- Describe the account or post. What is its message? Who seems to be the intended audience?
- What stereotypes does it challenge—or reinforce?
- Does it promote authentic representation, or is it rooted in “inspiration porn” or tokenism?
- Media Literacy & Power
- How does the format of social media (short videos, likes, shares, algorithms) affect how disability is represented and consumed?
- What are the risks and benefits of using social media as a tool for disability advocacy or inclusion?
- Your Role
- What responsibility do you have, as a social media user or future professional, to be intentional about how disability is represented and engaged with online?
- How will you apply what you’re learning in this class to how you engage with disability-related content?"