Miss Ability: Judging disabled women's beauty

Miss Ability has been called the surprise hit of Dutch television in 2006, but the Times Online reported last week that the rights to the program in Britain, France, Germany and the U.S. have now been snapped up. Soon we, too, can look forward to a live beauty contest where disabled women compete in nightgowns and bathing suits, then present short video films on how they've "overcome" their physical conditions -- whatever impairments contestants have must be "visible to the eye" in order for them to compete. Viewers get to vote.

Absolutely Independent, the Dutch company selling the rights to this idea asks in its prospectus:

Ever whistled at a woman in a wheelchair? Checked out the boobs of a blind babe? If the answer’s ‘no’, this barrier-breaking show will put an end to that.

According to Times Online, the company insists that "the show does not patronise disabled people." The article also adds:

British broadcasters will bid for the show in the new year. But there are fears that the trend for extreme reality shows could produce tasteless television.

It would be a shame if this led to television becoming tasteless, wouldn't it? I hope we never live to see the day. But as you might expect, the excitement precipitated by mentioning the ogling of the boobs of blind babes has gotten some attention, and the discussions has been interesting.

Report of this at MensNewsDaily shows exactly how problematic a viewer-determined pageant for disabled women could be. Well, or pageants generally:

“Who are you voting for Bubba?” “Gee, that blond chick is in a wheelchair, but she got hellava big hooters.” “Me, I’m gonna vote for the redhead, her eyepatch is so kinky” “You wankers are nuts, I’m going to vote for the broad with no arms. She’s the perfect woman, you can hit her and she can’t hit back.”

It's all there in just a few sentences, isn't it? Ableism, sexism, objectification, male privilege, fetishism, and the connection between objectification and violence, though it's all said in good fun, of course. What a relief the program is not patronizing too.

On the Snopes bulletin boards, these comments on Miss Ability:

I think that many disabled people would take any sort of recognition as a meaningful human being, rather than the state of inconsequence that is so often relegated to them, even if that recognition is based on something so limiting and empty as appearence.

Challenging? Yes. Progressive? Nope.

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I feel like it's a little sad that we need a separate ceremony for disabled people. I mean, I know why...I know that people are weirded out. But I feel like ultimately, it would be better if disabled people could participate alongside their nondisabled counterparts.

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I have this vague uncomfortable feeling that this is something like a modern day side show. "Look! She's crippled, but she looks hot in a bikini! And she talks, too! Amazing!"

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While I can understand and agree with many of the concerns presented here, I do think this is a small step in the right direction. Too often, even in modern times, disabilities of any kind lead to ostracism and being outcast, whether from prejudice or people just "feeling weird". It's good that the media is finally acknowledging that the disabled can be attractive as well. I have been attracted to disabled women before.

My guess is that the above represent some fairly common opinions about disabled people and sexual attractiveness of women. Disabled people are all needy of attention and approval. It makes sense to separate out disabled women from "normal" women when the topic is beauty. Being seen a legitimate sexual subject for the male gaze is progress for disabled women. The comparison to a circus sideshow is apt, though.

Jessica at Feministing isn't sure exactly what position to take, noting that it "seems kind of cool -- at least in terms of redefining beauty standards." (Emphasis is hers.) Commenters are also divided, though I admittedly don't read comments over there often enough to know the regular trolls.

A sampling of those comments:

Now disabled people can be treated like meat too?
It was interesting that only certain disabilities were allowed. None of those "yucky" (might get in the way of guys finding them hot?) disabilities like cerebral palsy or those that can't be seen?

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How much money went into this show that could've been better spent, say, on research or helping poor, unattractive wheelchairers build a ramp in their home?

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I think it's even more disgusting than the usual beauty pageant. What a favor to disabled women (who are in desperate need of enforcement of laws designed to protect their rights, products they can use, and gynecologists who will examine them)--let them be part of the great American sexism show of all time.

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Why not just include women with disabilities in the typical crap beauty pageants? Doesn't this seem at odds with the "least restrictive environment" idea?

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In terms of the zeitgeist, this is actually possibly a step in the right direction. It's not so far to go from recognising disabled people as sexual objects to recognising them as sexual beings.

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The emphasis on contestants having "overcome" a disability ... is completely patronizing and misleading. My disability is a part of me. I cannot "overcome" it any more than I can "overcome" being female, though both of those traits are things that often put me at a disadvantage in the world. It is something you work with and work around, potentially forever. The vital difference is that "overcoming" something means you put it behind you forever. Non-disabled people just love to hear about disabled folks who "overcame" their disabilities because, phew, that means they're fine now and we can go back to not giving a shit about them or their ongoing difficulties or their need for tougher access laws! It is the disability equivalent of the "post-feminist" label and I say it sucks.

The last two comments come from women who identify as disabled and highlight the ways in which this competition differs from your standard beauty pageant for the women contestants and the women those contestants are meant to represent. In addition to the cultural beauty standards that will inevitably be used in judging the winner, the narrative of "overcoming" also determines who is the best disabled woman.

This overcoming narrative -- particularly as part of a contest where the subjects must be "visibly disabled" -- is a paradoxical fiction. Each woman must look stereotypically physically disabled but prove she doesn't suffer the consquences her impairments or society create for that very visibility. Or that she doesn't mind. It goes without saying that the best woman in this contest will not discuss any mental illness or incontinence or lack of civil rights. She won't drool but she won't hide her limp either, because the audience needs to see that. Odds are she'll present as straight and white. She'll sing well and dream of world peace. Men find her pretty despite everything, and all is right with the world.