Disney discriminates against the deaf by removing CC from Up

I recently rented the movie Up off of Netflix. The following is my review of the movie, which I posted on the site:

Would have been nice if this movie was closed-captioned or had subtitles. But I guess the folks at Disney/Pixar are too cheap and don't give a crap about the deaf anymore. I found out they removed captioning from all rental versions of this movie, and that you need to BUY it if you want captioning. Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen now. As a deaf consumer, I am outraged. Shame on them!

Yes, you read that right. Disney really DID strip closed-captioning from the rental versions of this movie. So no matter where you rent it, and even if you get it from your local public library, then you're out of luck. If you are deaf, you're screwed. Why? Because you won't get to enjoy the movie just like everybody else who can hear gets to enjoy it.

And are they kidding me? The RETAIL version has captioning, but the rental does not? Do they honestly think that this is a clever little marketing ploy to get all the deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers out there to actually BUY this movie after being burned from the rental experience??

Come on!

I, for on, will NOT be buying this movie. I can't believe they willingly discriminated against the deaf consumer like this! It is so irritating and, yes, I am outraged.

Once again, the deaf are being treated like a minority.

They are literally FORCING us to buy a movie if we want to enjoy it.

Unbelievable.

You would think that, since this is a new movie, it would be closed-captioned. Or, at least, have English subtitles. Because by law, ALL new movies are supposed to be closed-captioned. Just as ALL new TV sets are required to offer closed-captioning. It's the law, people.

To learn that some powerhouse like Disney has the power to strip away closed-captioning, which the deaf consumers NEED in order to enjoy a movie, is unthinkable. No movie company or entity should have that ability. Not one.

It's unfair. It's wrong. And it discriminates against the deaf, plain and simple. Closed-captioning is NOT a bonus feature! Exactly what rock did they crawl out from??

Some would think that well, gee, they have open-captioning at theaters now. Why don't you just go to such a theater and see the movie without WAITING for the rental to come out?

FYI: The closest theater that offers this to the deaf and hard-of-hearing is in Salem. Sorry, but I'm not taking a 90-minute trip to Salem just to see a movie. I RELY on the rental industry to enjoy movies, because they are, supposedly, closed-captioned or have subtitles.

But now I guess that's not the case anymore. I have learned there are other "bare bones" movie versions out there in the rental market. Slumdog Millionaire is one, a movie I have YET to see and was actually looking forward to seeing. Guess I'll have to cross that one off of my list of movies to see. (Hm, would be nice if someone puts together a list of all the movies that have been stripped of closed-captioning in the rental versions. So sad and very disappointing that we'll even HAVE such a list put together. The whole thing reeks of discrimination against the deaf!)

Here are some other disgruntled rental customers:

Disney Removes Closed Captioning from "Up" Rental Release


"Up"? More like down...

Disney, you really screwed up with this. You really pulled out the discrimination card this time. I had looked forward to seeing the movie Up and in the end I was let down. I was really disappointed that this deaf consumer could not enjoy it like a hearing person can. Thumbs down, Disney. Thumbs down.

Breast cancer and the mobility impaired

Any woman who is used to walking and standing may understand the rigors of trying to get a mammogram, or even what's involved in receiving chemotherapy during treatment. However, if you are bound to a wheelchair, then being able to stand to receive a mammogram or move into a recliner for chemotherapy can be a struggle. Being helped to stand as well as carried around can be humiliating for someone already burdened with the stress of a possible breast cancer diagnosis. The problem is that there are not many handicap-accessible machines to accommodate the mobility impaired patients who must use them.

The good news is, more medical establishments and health care professionals are finally paying attention to the needs of the mobility impaired. Physicians and staff are being trained to accommodate the physical limitations of patients who require a mammogram or chemotherapy.

The first step is to discuss these limitations with your doctor. More and more medical facilities are becoming handicap-accessible and steps are being taken to include this accessibility inside of the buildings. If the arms of your wheelchair can be lowered, this will make it easier to receive a mammogram while in your wheelchair. If you are not able to sit up for the duration of your mammogram, a Velcro apparatus will be used to help you.

It's a good idea to ask someone to come with you to your appointments. A friend, sibling or caregiver is likely willing to assist you if needed so that you can receive your mammogram or be comfortable while receiving chemotherapy treatments.

Before your visit, ask if you can see the imaging center first. Ask questions about what sort of accommodations are in place for patients who are mobility impaired. If this is not provided, then talk to your doctor about finding a facility which is more helpful to the needs of disabled patients.

The MayoClinic understands the rights and needs of a patient who is stuck in a wheelchair. They have created three facilities specially equipped to assist such patients:

The Breast Clinic in Arizona

The Breast Center in Florida

The Breast Diagnostic Clinic in Minnesota

Finally, a free guide for disabled women is available for review on the Internet:

Breast Self-Examination: A Handbook for Women with disAbilities

If you are mobility-challenged and must have a mammogram or chemotherapy treatment, don't resign yourself to the delusion that all disabled patients must "put up" with using equipment not accessible to the disabled or being discriminated against by physicians. Ask questions, speak up. Talk to a medical professional you trust. If you feel your medical needs are not being sufficiently met or that you are being discriminated against, find another physician. Don't accept discrimination from a physician, who is obligated to treat ALL patients regardless of race, ethnicity, social stature, religion, financial situation AND disability. Know your rights but, more importantly, know what kind of accommodations and services are available to you as a patient. Every person, disabled and abled, has the right to receive competent and thorough care for breast cancer and it's important to make sure that care is given to you. Medical treatment of breast cancer is important. Receiving proper medical care for breast cancer could mean the difference between life or death.

The evil "R" word

The city of Eugene is making a fuss over the recent movie, Tropic Thunder. Specifically, how degradingly it portrays people with mental disabilities and using crude humor along with calling said people "retarded." This, many say, is in very poor taste and reflects the negative stereotype of associating those with such disabilities with the label "retarded."

I have a friend who once wrote a rant about this very same thing. (I am unable to find it at the mo.) I, too, feel that it is wrong, wrong, wrong to label people with mental disabilities as "retarded." Not only is it wrong, but it is also cruel and a sign of ignorance.

In the past, I have had to bite my tongue anytime people would call others "retarded" if they did something wrong. It just REALLY irritates me. Trust me, there are more appropriate words to use, and that word is not one of them. I even got so angry because this man I was talking with kept calling his mother "retarded." I just had to say, "You know, it's really childish to resort to name-calling. And I don't think your mother would appreciate it if she knew you were calling her retarded." (I have no respect for any man who does not respect his mother.)

But I am glad that the citizens of Eugene are stepping up about this. I, too, want to say that I don't feel it's appropriate to portray those with mental disabilities in such a crude, negative way. Now, I have not seen the movie yet -- have to wait until I can see it with captions -- but what I am hearing about it makes me want to avoid seeing it altogether. This is just not a form of "entertainment" at all.

Today, as I was reading the newspaper, my husband saw me shaking my head as I read an article. He wanted to know what was up and I complained about how students at a charter school were playing computer games (specifically, World of Warcraft). He pointed out it was a special needs school. "You know, with retards and..." He waved his hand to indicate anyone else who attends a special needs school. I had to frown over this. It's not the first time he's used this word so casually. I was NOT happy about it. And I haven't been happy with his OTHER use of the word, either. I have expressed my opinion that he should not be using that "R-word" so blatantly. That he should call a disability for what it is and not by some label. (One time, he used it to describe any child who is autistic.) Unfortunately, he doesn't share my views. I certainly DO NOT want my children growing up thinking it's okay to call people such a name (or ANY name, for that matter). Sensitivity begins in the home. I know I have a way to go in getting my husband to understand how I feel about calling people by such a name. But I feel that it is definitely something which I must do.

Years ago, when I lived in the desert, one of my sisters did volunteer work for a local charity called Foundation for the Retarded. At one point, some people wanted them to change their name, drop the "R" word and make it read something else. Their opinion was that it was demeaning to use such a word to represent the members who have mental disabilities. The Foundation's response was that they were going to keep the word in their name, hoping it will gradually make this word not so "evil" in our language and come to be accepted as a serious classification of such individuals.
I don't know about that idea, but as far as I'm concerned, any name-calling is demeaning no matter who it is aimed at. And, for the time being, the "R" word is considered to be one such name.