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RedEmmaSpeaks wrote (edited )

The article was interesting, but I am like, "Really?!" at the opening line.

Autism isn't a superpower, but good luck telling that to Hollywood.

Don't get me wrong: I totally agree with the idea that we should have the Magical Autistic Savant who exists to make neurotypical people better people, but given the largely negative cultural memes surrounding Autism, I'm more in favor of overly positive superlatives. It mustn't be forgotten that our culture overwhelmingly hates Autistic people and would rather they not exist at all*, so even if Sam from Atypical or the guy from The Good Doctor are something of exaggerations, it is a refreshing change of pace to have positive exaggerations, to actually have Autistic characters in leading roles. Fiction, regardless of media, is one of the best ways of confronting long-held societal prejudices.

To put it simply showing someone from a maligned group simply just being a person, falling in love, trying to achieve their goals and dreams, while enjoying life, does so much more to defeat prejudices than lectures or sermons. Get more stories out there, especially with Autistic PoC or women, because since the default stereotype of someone with Autism is White and Male, both Autistic PoC and women fall through the cracks.

Though for those who want to see a really good example of Autistic representation, Billy from the 2017 Power Rangers movie is one of the best portrayals out there.

First of all, it is explicitly said that he is Autistic--this isn't just implied nor is it a fan theory--but he is never depicted in a negative light for this. In fact, he's continually shown to be the best of the group, the one who not only puts the pieces together faster than them, but also the generally when it comes to heroism, being courageous and noble. He knows what's at stake and wants nothing more than to do whatever he can to save the lives of others. And Billy is PoC in this adaptation, which further adds to the appeal since PoC are under-diagnosed when it comes to Autism. The film has its problems and the quality is uneven, but Billy alone almost makes it worthwhile.

*Thing I've learned thanks to Mother Culture: if a parent kills or tries to kill their child, they're scum who should rot in prison. If they kill or try to kill their Autistic child, they are poor innocents who suffered so much and are rewarded with an appearance on Doctor Phil.

For the record, I know we live in a deeply ableist society stubbornly opposed to providing any sort of aid in raising a child with any kind of disability. Parenting a normal kid is often, at times, a rough and thankless job. The difficulties an Autistic child brings to the table, probably add to the stress.

That doesn't change the fact that it's still wrong to murder your child. Go to an ER or a police station, stand there and beg for help until you're blue in the face. Heck, even if you just abandoned the kid at the ER, well, I'd still think that's a scummy thing to do, but again, still better than murdering your child.

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