Props No More: Reclaiming Disability Representation in Media

Leah Smith talks with entertainment journalist and author Kristen Lopez about her upcoming book  Popcorn Disabilities , which examines how film has shaped public understanding of disability. They explore why disabled women and girls rarely see themselves portrayed with depth, how “pretty disabilities” distort real experiences, and what it means to grow up without disabled role models in media.  Th...

In this episode of Props No More, Leah Smith is joined by Dr. Kara Ayers, Jason Harris, and Matt Shedd to unpack the political claim linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism. Together, they explore why autism has become a cultural and political “boogeyman” and how misinformation harms autistic people, women, and new parents. The conversation delves into the lingering “refrigerator mother” my...

Welcome to the Props No More Podcast, a production of the Global Alliance for Disability and Media and Entertainment (GADIM) and Disability Rights Podcasts. In this first episode, host Matt Shedd speaks with Leah Smith, Director of Public Relations for GADIM, about the forthcoming Props No More documentary. They discuss how disabled people have too often been used as “props” in media, why authenti...