1. INTRODUCTION

**Media* and *popular culture* interpret human events in artistic or analytical ways. Ever since human beings' earliest attempts to sketch pictures and manipulate language to describe the world around them, they have created *cultural representations*.

As tools of communication became more sophisticated, and reached wider audiences, words and images came to exert an even more powerful influence upon societies. Media and popular culture – such as books, movies, plays, television, magazines and newspapers – became an important source of knowledge and insight about important human issues.

During this lesson, we will explore some of the historical and cultural roots of conventional media images of people with disabilities; and we will learn to begin thinking critically about the messages conveyed by popular culture about disabled women and men.

(Next - Section 2: Stereotyping)