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The production and launch of Sia's movie Music has left people divided. These are the main groups:
1. Those who listen to what nonspeaking autistic people say and who want to amplify their words.
2. Those who just want to say their own thing and don't care much what nonspeaking people say.
3. Those who want to ENSURE that nonspeaking autistic people are NOT heard.
Some of these people even identify as having 'high-functioning autism' and collaborate with large autism organisations who promote therapies which nonspeakers deem harmful.
Some of these people even identify as having 'high-functioning autism' and collaborate with large autism organisations who promote therapies which nonspeakers deem harmful.
4. The uninformed remainder of the population.
Let's spend some energy working together to move people from Categories 2 and 4 to Category 1.
How?
Follow @Communica1st and learn about the needs of people with communication disabilities.
Share the words of nonspeaking autistic people. https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1358107047640899584?s=19
Sia has been rude, defensive and inconsistent. She meant well, but when push came to shove, she did not follow through.
She also had EXCEPTIONALLY bad guidance from Category 3 people.
If you want to limit the damage, spend your energy amplifying nonspeaking autistic people.
She also had EXCEPTIONALLY bad guidance from Category 3 people.
If you want to limit the damage, spend your energy amplifying nonspeaking autistic people.
30 years from now, the movie will be history. Maybe it will be remembered. Maybe not.
But real nonspeaking autistic people will either have communication access and will be either alive or dead based on whether you and others chose to amplify their words in 2021.
But real nonspeaking autistic people will either have communication access and will be either alive or dead based on whether you and others chose to amplify their words in 2021.
Start now. It will take you five minutes to start. That's all. https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1330231916985987073?s=19
A movie featuring a disabled character can either start a conversation with disabled people or it can shut it down.
A conversation goes two ways, and when one of the parties has a communication disability, the onus is particularly on the nondisabled party to LISTEN.
A conversation goes two ways, and when one of the parties has a communication disability, the onus is particularly on the nondisabled party to LISTEN.
Within a few hours, a group of nonspeaking autistic people are releasing a documentary in which they provide guidance to future filmmakers, authors and playwrights.
Along with the documentary, there are several reviews of Sia's movie Music, written by nonspeaking autistic reviewers.
There will also be a toolkit for journalists, literary critics, autistic activists, educators, therapists, parents and anyone else who needs to learn about representing nonspeaking people in the media or in works of fiction.
Follow @Communica1st and LISTEN to nonspeaking people.
Does your creative narrative include a nonspeaking character? Then #LISTEN to nonspeaking autistic people.
Learn more here:
#istandwithnonspeakers
Learn more here:
#istandwithnonspeakers
Statement by @Communica1st: https://communicationfirst.org/statement-music-reinforces-dangerous-stereotypes-practices/
Supporting material for the short film #LISTEN made by and with nonspeaking autistic people. https://communicationfirst.org/LISTEN/
