The adaptation of Jojo Moyes' best selling novel, Me Before You, is set to hit theaters this June. But the movie is already facing a lot of criticism for its portrayal of the life of a person with disability. (via TeenVogue.com)
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The story of Me Before You revolves around the life of Will Traynor who got paralyzed after an accident. He chooses to end his life through assisted suicide because he can't stand living the life of a paralyzed man, which is frustrating for anyone who reads it.
UK activist group for persons with disability Not Dead Yet have been campaigning against assisted suicide, and they've been very vocal about their thoughts, describing the movie as "grossly misrepresenting the lives of the vast majority of disabled people."
In an interview with BuzzFeed, Ellen Clifford, a 38-year-old disabled activist, explained that "the message of the film is that disability is tragedy and disabled people are better off dead. It comes from a dominant narrative carried by society and the mainstream media that says it is a terrible thing to be disabled."
People with disability have since taken over the movie's hashtag #LiveBoldly to show the world why the movie's theme isn't really okay.
@MeBeforeYou says we’re better off dead than disabled. That’s wrong. Share pics and tell them how you #LiveBoldly. pic.twitter.com/Meg8AJsGRK
— New Mobility (@NewMobilityMag) May 26, 2016
I find non-disabled people's insatiable desire for euthanasia porn like #MeBeforeYou deeply disturbing. We don't #LiveBoldly to die for you.
— Christine of Aaargh (@cdaargh) May 25, 2016
Our lives are not tragic, pathetic pitiful. This film is. Disabled people the world over #LiveBoldly #MeBeforeYou pic.twitter.com/g68QKReDiL
— Not Dead Yet UK (@notdeadyetuk) May 25, 2016
#MeBeforeYou Contrary to the views of the non-disabled ppl who made this film we do #LiveBoldly by, y'know, living pic.twitter.com/HvZLp21PnZ
— Nathaniel Gale (@NathanielGale) May 23, 2016
anyone who thinks @mebeforeyou #LiveBoldly theme is ok needs to see why it is deeply offensive to disabled who literally do that each day
— Jos Bell (@Jos21Bell) May 27, 2016
Warner Bros. hasn't given their statement on this matter yet.
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