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.

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