“I feel like most people watch superhero movies and are like That’s fiction. So I don’t understand why, because there’s a blind superhero and people have blurred the line between fiction and reality.”
–Molly Burke
Blurring Fiction and Reality
One reason people may blur the lines is that there are so few points of reference for anyone to be validated, or, more colloquially, as seen in the media. An interesting point here is that while the Fantastic Four film features Alicia, a love interest for Ben Grimm, a very frequent stereotype she follows is the trope of visually impaired people not facing the right direction when speaking or being spoken to.
This trope Burke expands,
“It’s hard, are there blind people who do that, yes. Do most of us? No, not necessarily.
Why so many of us have gotten frustrated-is that it was always the same characteristics that some blind people have that were selected over and over.”
(Reacting to Scenes of Sighted Actors Playing BLIND in Media, 2024)
Nuances
In comparison to Daredevil, Ben Grimm is different in characterization. He lacks a secret identity, and his “true self” is hidden beneath the surface. Calling himself a freak is a piece of internalized ableism and can also be part of healing when accepting a disability. Loss and hardship can be part of individual experiences, but they aren’t the only experiences or emotions.
Photo by Tayor Heery from Unsplash
In comics and a deleted scene, it is revealed that she is a sculpture and is attracted to Grimm in his Thing form. She sculps him out of clay to attract him to her store.
Masters: “I try to stick to mature work, which brings a Big Strong Man in the door.
Grimm: “Could have just put an ad in the Personals
“Oh yeah- Sensual blind chick… seeks deep spiritual connection with two-ton He-Man”
This ain’t permanent! My friend Reed’s looking for a cure.
You feel okay to me, Benny.“
-Fantastic Four 2005 Deleted Scene
The physical contact of her dusting him off is played as a romantic scene. She is trying to show that she is attracted to him. The scene was cut from the film, but it remains a standout for several reasons. Alicia gets to be sexy and confident. She knows who she is and goes and gets it.
People with disabilities are often not given that opportunity (in the media), and Alicia has confidence and is a woman of a leading man. Ben pushes her away because “If she could see him, she wouldn’t be attracted to him.” But she is.
Artistic Agency
“Art itself does not come in only one form, and a certain technique does not limit it, but rather, it can be seen, heard, touched, smelt, even tasted. It is highly personal (Skračić, 2024, p. 2).
That artistic statue of The Thing in the window was to make a move. Using her art to make a gesture is a way to nod to the comics, but also shows she’s like anyone else.
And her not being a superhero means she’s a supporting cast member and can add that subtle representation that isn’t as well-known.
History’s Connections to Film
After decades of campaigning and lobbying, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, and ensured equal treatment and equal access for people with disabilities to employment opportunities and to public accommodations. (ADL Education)
Due to these policies, the representation of people with disabilities slowly increased. Films such as Finding Nemo/Finding Dory demonstrate the changing attitudes.
While attitudes were changing, it was about not seeing disability in characters such as Nemo and many others.
Photo by Louis Hansel from Unsplash
Alicia Masters’ part is small and not a main storyline in the films. But the part is treated with some realism. Her disability is not a disqualifier for being a love interest.
Notes on Intersectionality
The treatment of women in the media is generally a separate topic. However, intersectionality is important; conflicting stereotypes between gender and physical ability remain a problem.
“Whether through imagination, sheer will, or something else, humans have adapted and learned to live with disability, as well as participate in everyday life along with their peers; each of them must be respected.” (Skračić, 2024 p. 2)
Representation of disability in the media has many persistent stereotypes. Following the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the media began to change in the 2000s. Characters like Alicia Masters demonstrate how disabled characters can exist as confident, independent, and desirable when people stop viewing disability as a limitation. The issues are more nuanced and extensive than a simple superhero trope.
References
ADL Education. (2022, May 3). A Brief History of the Disability Rights Movement. adl.org. https://www.adl.org/education/resources/backgrounders/disability-rights-movement
Burke, M. (2024, December 24). Reacting to scenes of sighted actors playing Blind characters in media! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7RRkqWZl1k&list=LL&index=1&t=1631s
Skračić, I. (2024). Blindness and Superheroes. University of Zadar Institutional Repository, 1-33. https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:162:884760
Story, T. (Director). (2005). Fantastic Four [Film]. 20th Century Fox.