Inclusion Isn't a Trek (LeVar Burton in Star Trek)

A social media post made me realize I wanted this to be my next article, so here we go.

I adore LeVar Burton, but I am greatly bothered by his ableist portrayal in a show.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, LeVar plays Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge. LeVar plays a blind character. The problem with this is LeVar is not blind.

I’ve said it more than once and I’ll say it a million more times if necessary: No disability (blindness in this context) is a hobby, skill, or job/career you can learn to do correctly.

There is no correct way to be blind. Different people do different things that work for them.

A sighted person can learn technically what blindness can be and what it means to multiple people and what things multiple people do. That’s it.

The only actual way a nondisabled person can learn how they can be disabled is to become disabled.

As a sighted person, LeVar has zero idea what it’s like to live as a blind person. It’s not like not knowing what it’s like to be a lieutenant commander or on a spaceship. That doesn’t yet exist. A lot can be made up. If it did actually exist, you could learn everything you need to know with research. No two people with the same disability experience their disabilities and/or life the exact same.

LeVar Burton will never understand what it’s like to be blind unless he becomes blind.

Casting nondisabled people as disabled characters not only excludes disabled people from the industry, but it also continues telling the narrative that we [disabled people] do not belong in public. In any world.

Yes, it’s a disabled character, but casting a nondisabled (sighted) person sends the message that disabled people can’t play ourselves and that the only way we should be seen/shown is when a nondisabled person is playing us. Not only is this completely untrue, it’s not okay at all.

You want a blind person? HIRE ONE. Not every disabled person can or wants to act just like not every nondisabled person can or wants to act. Many disabled people can and want to though. Give people opportunities! Show us!