EOS Fitness
Team Lucky | SWOOP Agency
"How can we achieve greater intersectional representation of disabled people in
advertising?"
Mainstream gym advertising often excludes or misrepresents disabled individuals, especially those with intersecting identities like race, religion, or body differences.
Common tropes such as “inspiration porn” and the "supercrip" narrative reinforce harmful stereotypes rather than normalize everyday experiences.
The Insight
Authentic representation is crucial—not as tokenism, but as a reflection of diverse lived experiences. A study by Karan et al. (2021) found that 100% of disabled Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) consumers felt misrepresented in media, highlighting the invisibility of these identities, particularly at the intersection of race, disability, and religion.
Disabled individuals, especially Black, Muslim, and visibly disabled people are rarely seen in gym ads, and when they are, they’re often framed through harmful tropes like “inspiration porn” or the “supercrip” narrative.
These tropes don't empower, they isolate.
The Execution
