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So, let's recap. The lead actor of Sia's movie isn't autistic, and in preparation for her role, she watched Youtube videos of autistic children's meltdowns (undoubtedly filmed by their parents.) When called out, Sia replies to an autistic actor, 'maybe you're just a bad actor.' https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329738992519147521
Sia claims to have spent three years researching this movie. And yet she somehow missed that Autism Speaks is a hate group? How shallow was your research? https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329741838836772868?s=19
In many of her replies, Sia uses the term 'special abilities.' Yeah. Why is the word disabled to be avoided at all costs? https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329722676387192834?s=19
In many other replies, Sia uses the terms 'high-functioning' and 'low-functioning' which are almost universally rejected by the autistic community. https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329726137375870976?s=19
Apparently, Sia tried to cast an autistic person, but it didn't work. I'd be willing to bet that the autistic person found filming a stressful experience because sufficient accommodations weren't made on set, but that's just my hunch. https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329721477025947648?s=20
Sia writes that it felt 'more compassionate' to cast Maddie, a neurotypical person who watched videos of autistic children having meltdowns on Youtube as her research for the role. https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329735312126455814?s=20
Finally, Sia concluded that an autistic actor would be unable to play the role, due to one autistic person's experience. Evidently, in Sia's head autism is a monolith. https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329725615990317056?s=20
In a vast majority of her replies to criticism, Sia implores people to see the film before judging it. But the thing is, I don't need to see this film, as I've already seen it dozens and dozens of times. https://twitter.com/Sia/status/1329737397190451201?s=20
Autistic people have seen NTs mimic us on screen for decades, and this film will be no different. This film will do nothing but harm the very people it claims to represent.
