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I have a confession. I didn't know who Sia was before today. But my first impressions haven't been hugely positive.
Autism and representation in film and TV - a thread on why I think we're right to be angry. Please read and share. /1
Autism and representation in film and TV - a thread on why I think we're right to be angry. Please read and share. /1
Sia's new film, Music, has an autistic character central to the plot, played by the not autistic actor Maddie Ziegler. Consultations on autism were made with Autism Speaks, the American 'let's cure autism' organisation that is widely despised by the autistic community. /2
So far, this is pretty bad. Autistic people struggle to get our voices heard in the media. Films being made about us by non-autistic people is galling and upsetting, as @Sara_Rose_G made clear earlier in her thread. And plenty of autistic actors are looking for work. /3
Casting a non-autistic person to portray an autistic person puts that actor at a huge disadvantage. If you're not autistic, it's pretty hard to imagine what it's like. Chances are high the performance will fall back on old stereotyping and caricature. /4
We live in a world where public perception of autism is really very poor indeed. The last thing this situation needs is the picture blurring further by introducing inaccurate, poorly formed representations of autism on the big screen. /5
The consulting of Autism Speaks smacks of laziness, more than anything. They're the most famous organisation, especially in the US, and have loudmouthed proponents like Shatner. If you couldn't really be arsed, you'd go to Autism Speaks. /6
The fact Sia claimed ignorance of Autism Speaks' bad reputation strongly suggests there was a lack of engaging with the autistic community, as I'm pretty sure our antipathy to the organisation would stand out quickly. /7
Creating a movie designed to raise awareness of something without detailed consultation of the demographic is a show of utter disrespect - a sense of 'well, anything is better than nothing, after all!' which is particularly unpleasant. /8
It's like the royalty of modern media deigning to stoop to us lowly autistics - we ought to be grateful for *anything*! Beggars can't be choosers!
It's disgustingly patronising. /9
It's disgustingly patronising. /9
And it actively causes harm. The autistic community spends probably 50% of its advocacy on myth busting snd correcting misconceptions. Having a major movie pop up to add to these misconceptions is genuinely demoralising. /10
And then you've got the fans. The moment you criticise a celebrity on twitter, you have to hunker down to prepare for the vicious, ignorant onslaught as their fandom descends upon you, knowing nothing of thd issues but certain their idol is infallible. /11
There's been so much of that today. Sia fans attacking autistic people - my friends - for daring to be critical, even having autism explained to them, even being told they can't be autistic. Sia's responsibility here is clear - she has to step in. /12
So far I don't think she has, and her fans continue to pile onto vulnerable autistic people who are simply trying to defend their right to a form of self representation. The ugliest side of Twitter presents itself. /13
In all we can sum this up as the old 'but I tried!' situation you see so often in disability advocacy.
Trying is not enough. If you fuck it up, you apologise, you learn, you do better.
You don't dig in and get your fans to wage war on your behalf. That's crass. /14
Trying is not enough. If you fuck it up, you apologise, you learn, you do better.
You don't dig in and get your fans to wage war on your behalf. That's crass. /14
I'm putting this here as I think it's particularly key - we autistic folk don't usually get paid for our efforts. Often we're asked to do stuff for free. Being a money grabbing fiend, I'm not OK with that so I'll always put this here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/UfTVnRY
PS Sia has engaged in response to lots of autistic people's criticism, but as far as I have seen its been over defensive and quite mean spirited.
As I gather she is a famous celebrity of some standing (me, 37M,
) this is appalling PR.
As I gather she is a famous celebrity of some standing (me, 37M,
) this is appalling PR.
