Disability Representation on Short-Form Video Platforms: Self-Presentation, Gender, and Urban–Rural Inequalities

The rapid expansion of short-form video platforms has increased the visibility of people with disabilities (PWDs) in digital public spaces. Based on a content analysis of 756 disability-related videos on Douyin, this study examines how presentation modes—particularly self-presentation versus presentation by others—are associated with disability narratives, and how these patterns vary by gender and urban–rural context. Drawing on disability model theory, videos were classified into critical (social and human rights) and traditional (medical and charity) representations. Logistic regression analyses indicate that self-presented videos created by PWDs had significantly higher odds of reflecting critical disability narratives than videos presented by others. Gender and spatial setting were also associated with these patterns: videos featuring male or mixed-gender PWDs and those filmed in urban contexts were more closely aligned with critical representations, whereas videos featuring female PWDs, videos filmed in rural settings, and other-presented videos aligned more closely with traditional framings. The findings highlight both the potential of short-form video platforms for narrative agency and the persistent role of gendered and spatial inequalities in disability representation.