The road to ableism has always been paved with good intentions.
Last week, Sia posted a trailer for her upcoming movie, Music. According to a press release, the Chandelier singer co-wrote the screenplay and directed the musical drama, which stars Maddie Ziegler , Kate Hudson and Leslie Odom Jr . Sia also released a 14-track album to accompany the film, titled Music - Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture.
The news you've been waiting for! Music, the movie written & directed by Sia + starring Kate Hudson, @leslieodomjr & @maddieziegler, will be arriving in early 2021! Watch a sneak peek of the movie right here. pic.twitter.com/w38L2UtIhJ
sia (@Sia) November 19, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"sia","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Sia","cache_age":86400,"description":"The news you've been waiting for! Music, the movie written & directed by Sia + starring Kate Hudson, @leslieodomjr & @maddieziegler, will be arriving in early 2021! 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The news you've been waiting for! Music, the movie written & directed by Sia + starring Kate Hudson, @leslieodomjr & @maddieziegler , will be arriving in early 2021! Watch a sneak peek of the movie right here. pic.twitter.com/w38L2UtIhJ
The film follows Hudsons character, who is estranged from her family but suddenly finds herself the sole guardian of her nonverbal autistic half-sister, played by Zeigler. The two sisters also strike up a friendship with their neighbor, played by Odom, according to Variety .
Yet despite the seemingly feel-good content, upon the release of the trailer, many in the disability and autism community expressed concerns on social media.
One criticism is that Sia cast Ziegler an 18-year-old dancer who has starred in several of the Australian pop stars music videos as the lead. Ziegler is neurotypical, and many in the autistic community took issue with the dancer portraying a nonverbal autistic teenager.
Theres a lot to be concerned about with this film, including but definitely not limited to the casting, Zoe Gross, director of operations at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network , told HuffPost via email. Were concerned about what messages the film will send about autism.
Its sad to see people investing so much time and money into this outdated approach to telling stories about autism, when there are so many better ways to do it, she said.
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Gross also pointed out that the focus on guardianship is extremely concerning, especially if the autistic character in the movie is of legal age.
Families of young adults with disabilities are often steered towards guardianship, which involves removing a persons legal rights, she explained. Alternatives to guardianship, such as supported decision-making, can be used to help people with all levels of support needs, including nonspeaking autistic people, retain their legal rights while still receiving supports in adulthood.
Gross added:
These alternatives to guardianship are crucial for helping people with disabilities live happy, self-determined lives, but are often not known about, and this film may represent a missed opportunity to educate people on this subject.
Its sad to see people investing so much time and money into this outdated approach to telling stories about autism, when there are so many better ways to do it.
- Zoe Gross, director of operations at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
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The entertainment industry has long struggled with the authentic representation of people with disabilities. Films and TV shows have traditionally depicted them as objects of inspiration or pity which contributes to harmful stereotypes that continue to marginalize them. In 2016, only 2.7% of characters in the 100 highest-earning movies were disabled, according to a report from the University of Southern Californias Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Film and TV have also perpetuated the harmful trope that autistic people are savants (think: 1988s Rain Man or the most recent hit, The Good Doctor), which contributes to the cultural belief that someone with a neurotypical disability is a burden unless they have some kind of superpower.
Another factor that many in the autistic community were troubled by was that Sia consulted with the organization Autism Speaks for her film.
Autistic people have criticized Autism Speaks for years over its controversial messaging, including a resource on its site called the 100 Day Kit for parents of newly diagnosed autistic children. According to ASAN, the kit encourages parents to blame family stress on their autistic child and to spend time with their non-autistic children remembering how things were better before their siblings diagnosis. ASAN also notes that the kit encourages families to go through the five stages of grief after learning that their child is autistic, which ASAN characterizes as being akin to acting as they would if the child had died.
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Gross also noted that Autism Speaks is an organization without autistic leadership whose advocacy priorities are in opposition to the autistic community.
Also alarming was Sias responses to peoples concerns.
When one Twitter user asked Sia why she cast a non-autistic actor for the lead, she lashed out by listing the neuroatypical and trans people she had cast in her film.
I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as fucking prostitutes or drug addicts but s as doctors, nurses and singers. Fucking sad nobodys even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place.
I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as fucking prostitutes or drug addicts but as doctors, nurses and singers, she tweeted. Fucking sad nobodys even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place.
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This response didnt go down well.
So, you got out your token quota card when casting? Dominick Evans, a disability advocate, responded on Twitter.
We are not objects to be counted to prove you are diverse.
So, you got out your "token quota" card when casting?
"I got two queers, a bisexual, and a wheelchair-using crip... I'll see you one autistic and a Deaf person."
We are not objects to be counted to "prove you are diverse."
Another Twitter user pointed out thats Sias attempt at subverting disabled stereotypes also comes off a bit misguided.
Should all autistic &/or trans people aspire to be doctors, nurses or singers - are we only valid then? they asked.
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Employing neurodiverse people in a film about autism does not give anyone the right to speak over autistic folks.
Should all autistic &/or trans people aspire to be doctors, nurses or singers - are we only valid then?
Sex work is work.
Fucking sad you made the dang movie. https://t.co/7gtkZcpk0a
Kerry/Kez Rush - Positive Change Arts Projects (@PCAPonline) November 21, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Kerry/Kez Rush - Positive Change Arts Projects","author_url":"https://twitter.com/PCAPonline","cache_age":86400,"description":"Employing neurodiverse people in a film about autism does not give anyone the right to speak over autistic folks. Should all autistic &/or trans people aspire to be doctors, nurses or singers - are we only valid then? Sex work is work. 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Employing neurodiverse people in a film about autism does not give anyone the right to speak over autistic folks.
Should all autistic &/or trans people aspire to be doctors, nurses or singers - are we only valid then?
Kerry/Kez Rush - Positive Change Arts Projects (@PCAPonline) November 21, 2020
Sia told another Twitter user that she felt that casting an autistic person with her characters level of functioning was cruel, not kind, so I made the executive decision that we would do our best to lovingly represent the community.
I agree. Ive never referred to music as disabled. Special abilities is what Ive always said, and casting someone at her level of functioning was cruel, not kind, so I made the executive decision that we would do our best to lovingly represent the community.
Although some may think this executive decision was pragmatic, Gross said ASAN was alarmed that Sia thought that casting a nonspeaking autistic actor would be cruel.
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It suggests that she thinks that autistic people dont understand our own lives and arent the people who should be telling our own stories, Gross told HuffPost. When people tell stories about autism that cut out an autistic point of view, when storytellers view us as objects to tell inspirational stories about, or when autism is treated as a narrative device rather than as a disability community full of real people, the stories that are told fall flat, dont speak to our reality, and are often harmful to us.
When another Twitter user asked if Sia had done any research or consulted the autism community at all, she responded: Duh. I spent three fucking years researching, I think thats why Im so fucking bummed.
Yet in the course of the research, it seems she never stumbled upon one of the many online critiques of Autism Speaks. Sia said the controversial organization came on board to consult long after the film was finished.
I don't understand how someone could spend "three fucking years researching", have "thirteen people on the spectrum in the movie" and never stumble upon the fact that Autism Speaks harms the autism community. pic.twitter.com/0ETHtbaTGF
Sia even went as far as telling an autistic actor that maybe youre just a bad actor when the actor tweeted that her reasons for casting a neurotypical actor to play an autistic teen were merely excuses.
How is your heart in the right place when your response to an actor with autism is that are a bad actor. What the hell is wrong with you to reply like that? pic.twitter.com/Mf0CF79YWm
Alaina Leary, an autistic writer, wrote in Refinery 21 that Sias rude remark to the autistic actor only adds to the prevalent assumption that autistic people are unable to act because were not neurotypical, which ignores the incredible diversity of the autistic community.
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Leary also pointed out how Sias assertion that casting an actor with the characters level of functioning was cruel, not kind, and shows how little research she has done on autistic people.
Describing someone as low-functioning and making assumptions about their abilities based on how they communicate is ableist, not kind, Leary wrote.
Gross added that her organization had consulted with the team that made Pixars movie Loop and offered an example of how autistic actors could be included in narratives involving their lives.
They brought on a nonspeaking autistic voice actress, Madison Bandy, to play a nonspeaking autistic character, Gross explained. And they modified their recording process to allow her to participate in a way that worked for her.
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Gross added that autistic people often need accommodations for work, including in the entertainment industry, but that doesnt mean that we are not worth hiring or including.
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