The Paralympics are a celebration. Stephan Halking opened the ceremony with “We are all different. There is no standard or run-of-the-mill human being.”
You might donate money to foundations during awareness months, but in pride months, you march and find community. (Martin-Hays 2022 Disabled Pride Vs Awareness)
Rising Phoenix Documentary
Netflix’s Rising Phoenix “With this history told in conjunction with the impactful storylines of the athletes, it’s no surprise there are goosebump-inducing, tear-filled moments paired with swells of music: the wins, the losses, the training, the camaraderie. Even the athletes are not immune to shedding a tear or two.” (LeBoeuf , 2020, p.1)
And that angle is rooted in using pathos to connect. Looking at CP in the Paralympics, Trevor, a Paralympic sport administrator, stated: “athletes with cerebral palsy, with more severe cerebral palsy… are a very difficult image to get the press and all the rest of the media to understand.” (Purdue & Howe) And again, intersectionality allows society to pick what representation is right.
Netflix’s Paralympics documentary, Rising Phoenix, opens: “Superheroes try to save humankind, fight for success. Well, we’re quite similar. We are all superheroes because we’ve experienced tragedy—something prevented us from succeeding. That’s where strength lies. Life is a fight. We are trying to save the world.”
Abilities vs Aesthetics
The film follows nine Paralympian, most of whom use prosthetics or wheelchairs. Mobility aids and adaptations are highlighted as marketing tools, with flashy gear contributing to visibility. As Patrick notes, “Somebody in a chair, it’s colorful, flashy, they’re in the gear; somebody wearing an up-to-date prosthetic leg looks the part. Somebody with cerebral palsy probably looks uncoordinated and may not have the mannerisms to be marketed.” (Purdue & Howe , 2013 p. 31)
How Aesthetics Matter
Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash
Aesthetics help shape how Paralympic athletes are framed, often reinforcing a narrative of overcoming tragedy. Rising Phoenix notes that most Paralympians are told life will be too hard for them. Society shapes minority representation, often relying on narrow images. For example, society links masculinity with strength and disability with weakness, complicating how disabled athletes are perceived and valued.
The Media’s Responsibility
“Some may argue that the IPC inevitably shares responsibility, along with the media, for any marginalization of athletes with cerebral palsy. If the IPC provided more athletes with cerebral palsy to be used by the media, it may alter the social reception of these “impaired” bodies into viable and credible examples of “impaired sporting” (Purdue & Howe 2013, p.27)
Overall, the IPC’s intentions are in the right place, and its representation of multiple nations is diverse. The conflict in the games stems from broader ideas about what disability looks like. And, as athletes, there is a norm that spectators can latch onto: the players may not walk, but the rest of them are normal. CP is one diagnosis that challenges these images, as people with CP are not only uncoordinated. On face value, many are. How inspirational are they?
References
Bonhôte, I., & Ettedgui, P. (Directors). (2020). Rising Phoenix [Documentary ]. Netflix.
Leboeuf, S. (2020, August 27). ‘Rising Phoenix’ documentary covers history of Paralympics but stereotypes disabled athletes. The Daily Texan. https://thedailytexan.com/2020/08/27/rising-phoenix-netflix-original-documentary-review-paralympics-movie-stereotype-disabled-athletes/
Martin-Hays, O. L. (2022, July 27). Disabled pride vs awareness. capableism.blog. https://capableism.blog/disabled-pride-vs-awareness/
Purdue, D., & Howe, P. D. (2013). Who’s in and who is out? Legitimate bodies within the Paralympic Games. Sociology of Sport, 30, 24-40. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.30.1.24