Recent onscreen depictions of autistic adults reflect our growing understanding of a lifelong condition.
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Its a ridiculous question.
Or if she was related to the box.
Or if she was made out of the box.
Did the box have a name?
Youre being deliberately obtuse, her teacher snapped.
Im not a triangle, Gadsby countered.
Were in the midst of a quiet sea change in how autism is depicted onscreen.
TheseRain Manlike films are still being made.
Some of this quality control is due to a screens limits.
(And TV writers get to address any backlash with subsequent episodes.)
Not that TV has always been friendly.
Virginia Dixon inGreys Anatomy,and more.
Its anti-vaxxers saying autism is worse than polio, or other people saying anti-vaxxers are stupid.
Autism is not a prison … and no one is asking what people with autism think.
This includes the longtime theory of mind, which suggests autistic people arent capable of self-reflection or empathy.
The most recent research, including thedouble empathy problemandthe intense world theory, suggests the opposite.
Its more common now to think of different kinds of autisms, instead of just one scale of extremes.
Autism is no longer a line but acircle.
If you cant, could you put your autism to use?
It can go a step further: Can you wear your mask like a superhero?
Could you justify your disability as a superpower?
Many of the most positive portrayals of autism are fictional masked characters aimed at children.
(How many kids grow up with posters of Temple Grandin?)
These characters have redeeming qualities and are more than just plot devices or pity porn.
They are part of the story, notthestory.
In media, youd think wed just dropped dead at 18, says Luterman.
People really thought they were going to cure their kids and they wouldnt grow up into autistic adults.
Now I think a lot of parents are having to adjust their expectations.
One of those parents is Jason Katims.
At the time, he was scared of how it was going to be received on broadcast TV.
He notes that things have changed a lot since then.
It wasnt even like we made the choice not to do that onParenthood, says Katims.
It wasnt even considered a possibility.
Thats very different now.
He proudly notes that neurodiverse actors will also play neurotypicals.
I had to change that, he says, because that doesnt exist here.
Someone else who picked up on Americas hesitation to offer more long-term disability support is Cian OClery.
He paraphrases Roger Eberts famous saying about art as an empathy machine.
Its just the combination of seeing someone and hearing them, he says.
Its a much more powerful thing than reading what someones written.
(Eberts lede in his originalRain Manreview: Is it possible to have a relationship with an autistic person?
Is it possible to have a relationship with a cat?)
We treat it as a charity, or we treat it as a personal thing.
When you have that very narrow idea of who could be autistic, that carries over into pop culture.
Garcia also warns against hinging an entire demographics well-being on the next Netflix show.
I dont think thats a good way to govern, he says.
To paraphraseJim Sinclair, those of us on the autism spectrum dont need art to mourn us.
And when we see more realities of the spectrum, TVs fantasies will be less of a big deal.
Itll be fine having autistic serial killers or superheroes, knowing that you arent doomed to the same fate.
Autism is not a prison.
