‘Me Before You’ draws criticism for portrayal of disability

Posted on: May 26, 2016, Nic Lindh

 A new film that tells the story of a man who becomes a quadriplegic has kindled a debate about how people with disabilities are represented. A number of disability advocates have criticized the movie for using an actor who does not have a disability to play one of the main characters and for perpetuating stereotypes about disability.

Here are links to some of the coverage:

• Mashable, “’Me Before You’ film slammed over ‘misrepresentation’ of people with disabilities”  Twitter users are using the film’s hashtag, #LiveBoldly, to communicate their critiques of the films.

• Salon, “’Spare me, ‘Me Before You’: Hollywood’s new tearjerker is built on tired and damaging disability stereotypes” Salon writer Emily Ladau argues why the film perpetuates stereotypical narratives about disability.

• The Guardian, “Disability rights campaigners protest at premiere of ‘Me Before You’” With a banner reading, “Disability snuff movie,” activists gathered at the premiere of ‘Me Before You’ to share their critiques.

• Upworthy, “A Hollywood film about disability has a lot of people feeling left out.” Upworthy discusses the choice to use an actor who does not have a disability to play one of the main characters with quadriplegia.

• Huffington Post, “Why Are You Complaining? Some People Actually Feel That Way’: A Critique of ‘Me Before You’” Disability rights blogger Kim Sauder explains why she believes the movie does not represent people with disabilities.

• Los Angeles Times, “Summer tearjerker ‘Me Before You’ is a different kind of love story – but you’ll still cry” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Jojo Moyes, author of the novel ‘Me Before You’, talks about the film and her decision to write the book as the mother of a child with a disability.