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CW: autistic meltdown, prone restraint, death
This is an extremely hard thing for me to write about.
But in Sia’s new movie, the autistic character Music is shown having several meltdowns and being held in prone restraint.
(Leaked video via Auteach on TikTok)
This is an extremely hard thing for me to write about.
But in Sia’s new movie, the autistic character Music is shown having several meltdowns and being held in prone restraint.
(Leaked video via Auteach on TikTok)
For those who don’t know, prone restraint is extremely dangerous.
Just a few days ago, the story of a 16 year old autistic boy named Eric Parsa came up on the news.
He died last year at the hands of police, by being held in prone restraint and sat on during a meltdown.
Just a few days ago, the story of a 16 year old autistic boy named Eric Parsa came up on the news.
He died last year at the hands of police, by being held in prone restraint and sat on during a meltdown.
When I was younger, I had pretty frequent meltdowns.
My parents would put me in prone restraint, roll me up into a blanket so I couldn’t move my limbs, and then sit on me.
I was an 80 pound child, and they were adults.
I remember desperately gasping, “I can’t breathe!”
My parents would put me in prone restraint, roll me up into a blanket so I couldn’t move my limbs, and then sit on me.
I was an 80 pound child, and they were adults.
I remember desperately gasping, “I can’t breathe!”
I could have been killed. I could have suffocated, or choked on my own saliva.
It didn’t seem like my parents knew how dangerous what they were doing was. But I could feel how threatened I was in those moments.
Their weight made it extremely hard to expand my chest & breathe.
It didn’t seem like my parents knew how dangerous what they were doing was. But I could feel how threatened I was in those moments.
Their weight made it extremely hard to expand my chest & breathe.
Watching this leaked scene from the film has been extremely traumatic for me. It gave me flashbacks.
It’s so hard to even write this thread. My hands are trembling and my heart is pounding.
Prone restraint is deadly. But this film acts like it’s normal & necessary.
It’s so hard to even write this thread. My hands are trembling and my heart is pounding.
Prone restraint is deadly. But this film acts like it’s normal & necessary.
Autistic people are being killed. We are being killed by people who don’t know how to handle meltdowns, who use dangerous tactics like the ones shown in this film.
Eric Parsa (16)
Max Benson (13)
Corey Foster (16)
Faith Finley (17)
...the list of deaths goes on.
Eric Parsa (16)
Max Benson (13)
Corey Foster (16)
Faith Finley (17)
...the list of deaths goes on.
One thing in the news articles written about these deaths that has haunted me, is this common exchange of dialogue before the students died:
“I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”
“Yes you can. If you can talk, you can breathe.”
That’s exactly how my parents responded to me.
“I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”
“Yes you can. If you can talk, you can breathe.”
That’s exactly how my parents responded to me.
I’m not sure how to wrap up this thread. I’m not sure how to deal with the trauma that Sia’s ableist movie has caused & reminded me of.
Because all I can think when I read of these deaths and see that clip is,
“That was me.”
That was me. And it could be me again.
Because all I can think when I read of these deaths and see that clip is,
“That was me.”
That was me. And it could be me again.
So please, for the love of all things holy, do not watch this movie. Do not support it, do not give it your money or time.
I recently made a thread of 9 films and TV shows with good autistic representation.
Watch those films instead. Not this.
I recently made a thread of 9 films and TV shows with good autistic representation.
Watch those films instead. Not this.
