Narrative Prosthesis

A concept from disability studies describing how disability is used as a literary and rhetorical device—a plot driver, metaphor, or character-enriching detail—within narratives that ultimately serve the interests and perspectives of non-disabled people rather than accurately representing disabled experiences. In tech marketing, disability often serves as a narrative prosthesis that supports storytelling (the parent's journey, the startup's mission, the transformative technology) while the actual lived experience of the disabled person remains secondary. This concept helps explain why autism tech marketing often centers parental anxiety and professional challenges rather than autistic perspectives.