Disability and Accessibility

Representation of disability in BD has evolved from stereotypes and erasure to nuanced exploration by disabled creators themselves. This transformation reflects broader disability rights movements while demonstrating BD's capacity to visualize experiences often considered "invisible."

Early BD occasionally featured disabled characters, usually as objects of pity or sources of inspiration for able-bodied protagonists. The emergence of disabled creators telling their own stories has radically transformed this landscape. Works like "Ce n'est pas toi que j'attendais" (This Isn't What I Expected) by Fabien Toulmé explore parenting children with disabilities with honesty about challenges while rejecting tragedy narratives.

BD's visual nature offers unique possibilities for representing disability. Artists can show how disabled people navigate environments, visualize pain or sensory experiences, and challenge assumptions about "normal" bodies. The medium's control over time allows exploration of how disability affects daily rhythms and life experiences.

Efforts to make BD more accessible to disabled readers have also advanced. Publishers increasingly produce audio descriptions of BD for blind readers, while some experimental works explore tactile elements for visually impaired audiences. These initiatives recognize that true inclusion requires not just representation but accessibility.