Gok Wan's "How to look good naked... with a difference": A vital addition to the mediated portrayal of disability (20/01/2010)
I’ve just watched last night’s (Tuesday, 19th January 2010) showing of “How to look good naked – with a difference” with Gok Wan. A show that, has undoubtedly, stirred up criticism and enthusiasm across the country. Having recently completed a postgraduate paper on disability and the body, and with a personal interest in disability, sexuality and the body, I found the discussions of the programme very interesting. Thus, I had to see for myself and produce my own review of the programme.
What was it? Gok is doing a three week disability edition of his “how to look good naked” series whereby he’s selected three disabled women with body-esteem issues. Body confidence and image is a major issue for disabled people, with 76% of disabled people saying they have poor body-esteem. This week was the turn of Tracy, a wheelchair user who, despite being extremely outgoing, describes having a “disabled half” of her self that she hates and cannot fully accept. Gok’s job is to move past Tracy’s body issues and get her to love herself and become more confident.
Whilst, in the introduction, Gok says that dealing with disability will be his ‘toughest challenge yet’, he does not seem perturbed and points out that bodily oppression is a major disability issue. Thus, recognising the segregation between disabled and able-bodied bodies, and recommending that disability finds its place in mainstream society; be it in media, advertising or on the catwalk. Indeed, he points out that 91% of disabled people feel ignored by the fashion industry, and that many disabled people avoid high street fashion in favour of hiding their disabilities and bodily differences.
Was the show patronising? No, I don’t think it was. I have a feeling that Gok is slightly patronising by nature. However, I do not think his attitude towards Tracy, last night, was any different to his attitude towards his other clients. In fact, I felt he was very sincere and forthcoming towards the need to change the perceptions of disability. He clearly wasn’t afraid of disability as he was shown to be sitting in Tracy’s wheelchair – something that only happens when someone is comfortable with the situation.
Gok also discusses the need to be proud of impairment and disability. If someone has an impairment, it isn’t going away, it is part of them and, therefore, it is important to accept ii as such. To do the opposite is to deny the power of the body and the ability to feel confident with oneself as an entirety.
Finally, one of the most important factors of the show was the segregation between being a woman and being disabled. Often, in shows like this, the impairment steels the show. Yet, Gok endeavoured to find ways to get round the impairment, i.e. with the right shoes, in order to make Tracy feel more feminine. Thus, the aim was to increase femininity and expose Tracy’s personality, apposed to hiding the impairment or honing in on the problems it may cause.
I understand that many disabled people may see this, separate, mini-series as a form of segregation rather than the integration we all fight for. But in this instance, I think it was necessary and well done for a few reasons. Firstly, if the show only offered ten minutes about disabled people, it would be criticised for delivering a poor portrayal of disability.
Secondly, I believe, bodily oppression and negative body-images to be one of the single-most important issues in the disability arena - one that is commonly ignored, even by disabled people themselves. We live in a body-beautiful society, whereby the body is a source of social capital that helps place you in the hierarchy of society. It cannot be denied that the perception of the disabled body is remarkably poor; disabled people do not fit into the normative standards of the body, we are different. Therefore, it is not unusual to be thought of as undesirable or even asexual; perceptions that are, in turn, internalised by disabled people who become exactly what society believes. Therefore, it is vitally important to have broadcasts that pin-point exactly what the problems are, portray these issues and combat them with images of disabled people, not only wanting to be sexy but, actually shown to be beautiful and desirable people if their self-confidence is allowed to expand.
Overall, I think the show was excellent in its production and the coverage of important issues provided a positive step forward, rather than being a symbol of segregation. Gok Wan and his team are to be commended!
What was it? Gok is doing a three week disability edition of his “how to look good naked” series whereby he’s selected three disabled women with body-esteem issues. Body confidence and image is a major issue for disabled people, with 76% of disabled people saying they have poor body-esteem. This week was the turn of Tracy, a wheelchair user who, despite being extremely outgoing, describes having a “disabled half” of her self that she hates and cannot fully accept. Gok’s job is to move past Tracy’s body issues and get her to love herself and become more confident.
Whilst, in the introduction, Gok says that dealing with disability will be his ‘toughest challenge yet’, he does not seem perturbed and points out that bodily oppression is a major disability issue. Thus, recognising the segregation between disabled and able-bodied bodies, and recommending that disability finds its place in mainstream society; be it in media, advertising or on the catwalk. Indeed, he points out that 91% of disabled people feel ignored by the fashion industry, and that many disabled people avoid high street fashion in favour of hiding their disabilities and bodily differences.
Was the show patronising? No, I don’t think it was. I have a feeling that Gok is slightly patronising by nature. However, I do not think his attitude towards Tracy, last night, was any different to his attitude towards his other clients. In fact, I felt he was very sincere and forthcoming towards the need to change the perceptions of disability. He clearly wasn’t afraid of disability as he was shown to be sitting in Tracy’s wheelchair – something that only happens when someone is comfortable with the situation.
Gok also discusses the need to be proud of impairment and disability. If someone has an impairment, it isn’t going away, it is part of them and, therefore, it is important to accept ii as such. To do the opposite is to deny the power of the body and the ability to feel confident with oneself as an entirety.
Finally, one of the most important factors of the show was the segregation between being a woman and being disabled. Often, in shows like this, the impairment steels the show. Yet, Gok endeavoured to find ways to get round the impairment, i.e. with the right shoes, in order to make Tracy feel more feminine. Thus, the aim was to increase femininity and expose Tracy’s personality, apposed to hiding the impairment or honing in on the problems it may cause.
I understand that many disabled people may see this, separate, mini-series as a form of segregation rather than the integration we all fight for. But in this instance, I think it was necessary and well done for a few reasons. Firstly, if the show only offered ten minutes about disabled people, it would be criticised for delivering a poor portrayal of disability.
Secondly, I believe, bodily oppression and negative body-images to be one of the single-most important issues in the disability arena - one that is commonly ignored, even by disabled people themselves. We live in a body-beautiful society, whereby the body is a source of social capital that helps place you in the hierarchy of society. It cannot be denied that the perception of the disabled body is remarkably poor; disabled people do not fit into the normative standards of the body, we are different. Therefore, it is not unusual to be thought of as undesirable or even asexual; perceptions that are, in turn, internalised by disabled people who become exactly what society believes. Therefore, it is vitally important to have broadcasts that pin-point exactly what the problems are, portray these issues and combat them with images of disabled people, not only wanting to be sexy but, actually shown to be beautiful and desirable people if their self-confidence is allowed to expand.
Overall, I think the show was excellent in its production and the coverage of important issues provided a positive step forward, rather than being a symbol of segregation. Gok Wan and his team are to be commended!
