Hey Look At Those "Freaks" On TV!
Stereotypes and TV
On TV, ABDL*s are often portrayed in the following ways:
As Being Obsessed with aspects of being ABDL*:
The portrayals of ABDL*s on TV are staged, or at least exaggerated. Often times the individuals are encouraged to act differently on film than they would in their regular everyday lives. This is for shock value, and increased ratings. Most ABDL*s don't really run around in decked out in ABDL paraphernalia 24/7, or let it interfere with their ability to function in daily life. It is also absolutely crucial to remember that TV shows featuring ABDL* are meant primarily to entertain, not educate. The goal of most of these shows is to give their audiences someone to gawk at.
As unable to have normal relationships:
ABDLs couples are frequently represented in a way to suggest that a relationship involving an ABDL* is a one-sided, and unbalanced relationship. They usually try to make it appear as if one partner takes advantage of the other. These shows suggest that the caretaker in a typical ABDL* relationship is practically a slave to their over-grown "man-baby" partner. In many real ABDL relationships, both partners simply set realistic boundaries. In relationships where both partners are ABDLs, the partners typically take turns being the "caretaker/grownup" so as to achieve a fair balance. The unhealthy relationships portrayed on TV are dysfunctional because one partner's needs are taking priority. The dysfunctional appearance of these relationships has nothing to do with the fact that one partner is ABDL*. The dysfunctional ABDL* relationships aired on TV are simply that, dysfunctional relationships. Audiences don't want to see a normal healthy ABDL couple, they want to see two crazy people throwing chairs, and screaming at each other. Imagine how boring talk-shows would be if they invited content well-adjusted individuals in healthy relationships instead of pandering to the “trainwrecks” they usually do. These show exist to showcase people whose lives are falling apart.
The bottom line here is that: ABDLs are just like everybody else. We are normal productive members of society who just happen to be also ABDL*s. Don't believe everything you see on TV. Think critically for a second... Although we are fairly common, ABDL*s are usually very private individuals. Those on TV are usually of a rare exhibitionist strain that in no way represents the majority of us.
Some Additional Prospective:
The current 2017 representation of queer folks on TV is still problematic, and non-existent... As a queer person, the author still finds it cringe-worthy to go back and watch the way queer folk were depicted on respectable news channels during the AIDs epidemic. We are in the first stages of representation on television and it is rightly terrifying for us ABDL*s to watch.
