About Us
Click here to read about us in Plain Language
The Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM) was created to advocate for the authentic representation of people with disabilities in mass media.
GADIM was founded by three women with deep expertise in disability media research and advocacy:
- Beth Haller, an academic expert in news and entertainment media representation of disability and a retired Disability Studies and Media Studies professor. She identifies as neurodiverse and has multiple chronic illnesses.
- Patricia Almeida, mother of a daughter with Down syndrome, journalist, disability advocate, and Plain Language specialist with an MA in Disability Studies. She is a four-time cancer survivor.
- Catia Malaquias, mother of a son with Down syndrome and lawyer and advocate for human rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.
In addition to the founders, GADIM has a large team, the majority of whom have disabilities themselves.
In both fiction and nonfiction, disabled people are still too often reduced to props – used to advance a storyline rather than exist as fully realized human beings. Whether cast as the inspirational hero, the tragic figure, the superhuman, or the catalyst for a nondisabled character’s personal growth, these one-dimensional portrayals continue to dominate the media.
Such patterns have real consequences. For many, media is their only exposure to disability, shaping beliefs, biases, and behaviors that influence hiring decisions, inclusion, and social attitudes. Such narrow portrayals reinforce stigma, limit opportunities for talented disabled professionals, and erode the self-worth of disabled individuals who rarely see themselves represented authentically.
GADIM’s mission is to leverage media, culture, and entertainment to promote the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities and improve the portrayal of disability in mass media.
GADIM is informed by Article 8 (Awareness-raising) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which strives to ensure that disabled voices are actively included in storytelling and media production. GADIM invites all media organizations and industry participants – news, entertainment, advertising, etc. – to increase the representation and authentic portrayal of people with disabilities in all areas.
Our Story in Plain Language
What is GADIM? A group, The Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM) is working to improve how people with disabilities are shown in media. This includes stories about disability in movies, TV shows, news, ads, and other online content. GADIM does this by making sure that people with disabilities are included in telling and creating these stories.
GADIM’s work is guided by Article 8 (Awareness-raising) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). GADIM shares the goal of creating greater awareness about the true lived experiences of people with disabilities.
Why is GADIM needed? While media is everywhere, stories about disability remain very limited. Many studies have found that there are very few characters with disabilities in film and television. This includes those on streaming platforms. For many people, the media is the main place where they learn about disability. Stories that show people with disabilities only as an inspiring hero, a sad or tragic person, a villain, or as a way to highlight the main character’s story affect beliefs about disability. These attitudes can affect how people with disabilities are treated at work, in school, and in public, and even how they feel about themselves.
Who started GADIM? GADIM was started by three women who have spent many years studying media and speaking up for disability rights. They are:
- Beth Haller is a retired college teacher who studied how news and entertainment talk about disability. She has written several articles and books about it.
- Patricia Almeida is a journalist, disability advocate, and Plain Language specialist. She is also the mother of a daughter with Down syndrome.
- Catia Malaquias is a lawyer and human rights advocate. She is also the mother of a son with Down syndrome.
In addition to the founders, GADIM has a large team, the majority of whom have disabilities.
GADIM invites media companies to increase the number of people with disabilities working in media and to tell their stories in real and respectful ways.