![]() ![]() I've read these books a dozen times, these specific sections, and I've not thought of it further than: "Geralt has some pain, onto the next thing." I haven't stopped thinking about this thread. Disability only 'doesn't work' in media because in a field largely dominated by able-bodied people, no one cares to try or to hire disabled professionals who could work with them to make it 'work'. I have had people mock me and state that 'disability wouldn't work in a videogame', yet fail to acknowledge Mad Max's game protagonist used a leg brace and walked with a limp. ![]() They don't mean the same thing.)Īll of a sudden, I was made out to be 'ruining' The Witcher for pointing out the disabilities Sapkowski wrote in and the videogames chose to largely ignore. The word 'healed' is not to be conflated with the word 'cured'. his sterilisation, severe mental trauma, poor toxicity tolerance from potion abuse, and nerve damage from other old wounds and scars. "Actually, Fringilla Vigo healed Geralt in Lady of the Lake so he isn't disabled." ( A point I have already debunked on Twitter and explained that Geralt has canonical disabilities beyond his knee and elbow - ie. Disability is still largely unaccepted, not only in media but in society too, and for the most part I got the reaction I was expecting. When I made my thread, I knew full well that I was opening a can of worms. This isn't to say the books are perfect in their representation - the slur of 'cripple' is tossed around like nobody's business - but they perfectly captured and reflected my own experience one of anger and internalised ableism. ![]() He was shown time and time again to be capable, strong, and to still have value as a person - all these things being unusual in disability representation I had interacted with before and still come across now. It was Geralt's long path to accepting his disability that helped me to accept mine. In that moment, I realised he was like me. It took him time - he was angry and frustrated at himself and the world, and took it out on friends. It started to affect him long term and he had to learn to compensate and accommodate for his newfound disability. Unlike other fantasy novels, where the trope of magic erasing any ailment, injury, or disability is rampant, the healing Geralt received didn't negate or lessen his injury. Though healed by the magical Waters of Brokilon Forest, Geralt complained of constant pains in his knee, hip, and elbow. When I reached Time of Contempt and Geralt took a grave injury, I unknowingly began my path to acceptance and peace. It wasn't until I was 20 that I came across Sapkowski's novels after seeing some friends play and talk about The Witcher 3, and I swiftly became an avid fan of both books and games. I grew up angry and alone, feeling like no one understood my chronic pain or cared about it. I began showing symptoms at age 12, and my childhood was one of not 'fitting in', not being able to do things my friends could do. I am disabled and work professionally as a disability consultant, sensitivity reader, writer and designer for tabletop roleplaying games and other media. It's just that people only remember how Geralt is shown in- 1/20 /7RlFtiK0ol- Sara Thompson combat ♿ for Pathfinder 2e! NovemTo see this content please enable targeting cookies. ![]() That statement always surprises people, even fans of the series. Geralt of Rivia & the Importance of Disabled Protagonists ![]()
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