Getty Images celebrates the first anniversary of the Disability Collection

The aim of the Disability Collection is to portray people with disabilities authentically and true to life in the media. The images are carefully checked by the National Disability Leadership Alliance (NDLA), an association of 17 national organizations led by people with disabilities. High standards of scrutiny ensure that the many manifestations of disability are portrayed without prejudice. The Disability Collection was developed by six Verizon Media focus groups concentrating on different types of disabilities. At the same time, a quantitative survey of over 1000 people was conducted to determine how people with disabilities would like to be portrayed in images and what guidance they would give photographers to avoid stereotypes. The collection was thus created in an act of co-curation.

"The partnership with Getty Images and Verizon Media has given us a big say in the appropriate portrayal of people with disabilities in the media. This representation in turn influences how we perceive ourselves within society. Often, people with disabilities are disregarded by mainstream media in our culture. The Disability Collection is a big step towards a world where everyone feels seen - real progress," says Lawrence Carter-Long, Communications Director for the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund at the NDLA.

The collection deliberately shows people with disabilities in their everyday lives, as well as real people of different socio-economic status, age, gender, ethnicity and sexuality, rather than professional models. The aim is not to show the stereotypical "overcoming" of a disability, but that it represents a natural part of identity.

"Today, images are a language spoken around the world. That also means it's never been more important to create and share visual communications that are progressive and inclusive," says Rebecca Swift, Senior Director of the Creative Insight team at Getty Images. "That's why we partnered with NDLA and Verizon Media to create images that reflect real lives with disabilities. The collection aims to empower the media and advertising industry to portray people with disabilities as they really are."

Getty has seen an increase in searches related to disability imagery on Gettyimages.com over the past year: "Until now, it's been difficult for companies to find modern, dignified and diverse images of people with disabilities," says Mike Shebanek, Head of Accessibility and Inclusion at Verizon Media. "With the Disability Collection, they now have access to photos that authentically represent their target audiences. That's important because: People want to identify with a brand that shares their values. In fact, our research has shown that 70 percent have a more positive attitude towards a brand when people with disabilities are shown in advertising. The Disability Collection is an important tool to stimulate a discussion about different forms of representation on a social level.

On the first anniversary, the organizations around the Disability Collection are calling for further discussion online about the representation of disabilities in the media and advertising. The hashtag #TheDisabilityCollection can be used on social media to share personal opinions on why greater representation of people with disabilities is important, thus creating greater awareness of this issue.