Commerical Contest to air in July

A link to the story: http://www.aucd.org/template/news.cfm?news_id=3759&id=16

A brief reaction, today. I had a conversation last fall with a clinician regarding inclusion of individuals with disabilities in advertising. Essentially, the facility we were in had pictures everywhere of children with different colored hair, eyes and skin. Pictures of children of varying ethnicities, ages, and sizes. But not one picture of a child with a disability. Not one picture of a child with a complex medical condition. The facility is one that treats all types of children including children similar to those portrayed in the pictures and those excluded.

I asked the clinician I was with what she thought of this oversight. She had communicated the same thoughts to administrators. The reply she received is that including children with disabilities or complex medical conditions might be viewed as exploitation.

Huh. I guess I never thought of it that way. But I don't agree.

Children are unique. The facility made an obvious effort to portray that. Why is portraying a child of a particular ethnicity not viewed as exploiting that ethnicity, but a picture of a child in a wheelchair is? Perhaps ableism is too new of a concept for "non-discrimination" efforts to include persons with disabilities. I suppose the ADA act is "younger" when compared to the Civil Rights Act and movements of the 1960's, but it's almost 20 years old!**

So, what to think of this commercial contest? What tone will it take? What will be the communities response? Will some deem it exploitation? It will certainly be interesting to follow.

**Please forgive me if I am a poor historian:)