3Spoonies Episode Number 50, 5th March 2026
With Karen Duncan, Jo O’Neil and Claire Napper
How disabled people are represented in newspapers, magazines, and print media has a real impact — on public opinion, policy, employment, and how safe it feels to exist in the world.
In this episode of 3Spoonies, we’re talking honestly about disabled representation in print media: what’s improved, what’s still harmful, and why “good intentions” aren’t always enough.
We also explore how print media intersects with online spaces, activism, and lived experience — and why accountability matters just as much as intent.
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If you’d like to find out more about our hosts;
Jo O’Neil
Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness
Claire Napper
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper
Website: www.blackveilstationery.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Blackveilstationery
Karen Duncan
Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses
Guests
Maddy Alexander-Grout is a visibility strategist, ADHD coach, and advocate for people with hidden disabilities.
Links: https://stan.store/maddyalexandergrout
Buy the Book, Mad about Money: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1394299729?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_4XCQ1VWRX9J2NXHW860J&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_4XCQ1VWRX9J2NXHW860J&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_4XCQ1VWRX9J2NXHW860J&bestFormat=true
Victoria-Jayne Scholes
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/author/profile/321956.Victoria-Jayne_Scholes/
Sponsors
A HUGE thank to our main episode sponsor:
Lisa Greener – Green Cat Books
Founded in 2017 by fellow spoonie Lisa Greener, Green Cat Books has supported nearly 70 authors and published over 120 titles. We handle the production side of publishing so authors can focus on writing, work, or simply taking time to rest.
Our catalogue includes children’s books, sci-fi, romance, and poetry, alongside audiobooks and videobooks, with selected titles now available on Spotify and Audible. We also promote independent creators and offer an affiliate programme for book lovers who want to share and earn.
Find out more:
And to our advert sponsors!
Men Forge Forward
Men Forge Forward is a free online community where professional men under pressure reclaim their edge through brotherhood, accountability, and the 30-day FireUP Challenge.
The Createry
The Createry is a friendly coworking and content creation studio space located in the heart of Nottingham.
https://www.instagram.com/TheCreateryUK
Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Sponsor: Green Cat Books
01:00 Meet the Hosts and Guests
02:28 Guests’ Experience with Print Media
03:06 Being Misrepresented in the Press
06:03 Harmful Labels and Media Narratives
09:03 Why Victoria Started Writing
11:59 Media Narratives and Disability Policy
14:56 Neurodivergence and Media Bias
18:02 Harmful Headlines and Public Perception
21:57 Behind the Scenes of Media Coverage
26:10 Do Positive Stories Sell?
29:55 Impact of Representation on Disabled People
32:56 Media Narratives vs Reality
35:55 Positive Representation Can Work
39:02 Challenging Stereotypes
39:57 Where to Find the Guests
40:30 Outro
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