So, 99% of the population can’t name a high-profile person inthe media with a learning disability, according to an Ipsos MORI poll for Mencap – and I’m notsurprised. Think about it; apart from singer Susan Boyle, there arevery few people with learning disabilities in the public eye.Obviously people with learning disabilities or who work in thesector will be able to name more – Scott Watkin, former co-nationaldirector for learning disabilities and punk band Heavy Load, whichfeatures members with and without learning disabilities spring tomind – but then you would expect that. But would your average blokein the street be able to name them? Perhaps not. As Mencap’s chiefexecutive Mark Goldring says; “people with disabilities areunder-represented in the media and in public life and people with alearning disability are particularly invisible in UK society.”Goldring goes on to call for more positive role models in the mediaand in public life to help remove the stigma associated withdisability and to encourage a shift in public perception to enablepeople with a disability to be treated equally in society. He’sright. But how to address this? Perhaps it is time for one of themajor soaps to introduce a regular character with learningdisabilities. Admittedly, EastEnders has had a characterwith Down’s syndrome, Janet Mitchell, daughter of Billy Mitchell,for some years. The storyline of her birth, and her parents’acceptance of her, continued for some months, and won praise forhelping to raise awareness. But Janet now only rarely appears.Meanwhile, Hollyoaks did have a character with learningdisabilities, Spencer Gray, for a couple of years, but he was axedin 2010. Also, the actor who played him did not have a learningdisability. Other than that, characters with learning disabilitiesare thin on the ground. This needs to change because TV soaps canhelp to break down stigma and educate viewers on issues. Forexample, the Stacey Slater bipolar storyline in EastEnders– which showed the character gradually develop the condition beforebeing sectioned, followed by her recovery and learning to live withit – helped to bring the condition into the public eye. Indeed, atthe time MDF The Bipolar Organisation said the number of youngpeople calling its helpline doubled in 6 months, mainly down to thestoryline. It demonstrates the power soaps have. I reckon thatseeing a regular character with learning disabilities – played bysomeone with learning disabilities – in everyday situations andwith realistic storylines could help to improve understanding andreduce stigma among the general public. Plus, it would give anopportunity to highlight other issues, such as disability hatecrime, which are also largely hidden. Soap executives often talkabout how they like to tackle issues and push boundaries; which onewill go for this?
