The Autism We Talk About

On Saturday morning, Lisa sent me Bonnie Zampino's article called My Son Has The Kind Of Autism No One Talks About, in which Zampino addresses a neighbourhood in California that filed a lawsuit against a local family's Autistic son for being violent towards their children. While the neighbourhood claimed that, "This is not about autism. This is about public safety", Zampino calls it out for what it is - discrimination against an Autistic person and their family, and a reflection of the widespread misunderstanding of the autism reality.   Zampino writes that one of the major factors behind this incident is that the boy in California doesn't have "the kind of autism we talk about when we talk about autism". She's talking about the Autistic success stories that are so widespread in the media lately - the Jacob Barnetts of the world, the Autistic prodigies that redefine our idea of what human beings are capable of - and the off-beat, but acceptable Autistic kids, teens, and adults featured in feel-good news stories. She writes:  For every boy with autism who manages his high school basketball team, there are 20 boys with autism who smear feces. And for every girl with autism who gets to be on the homecoming court, there are 30 girls with autism who pull out their hair and bite their arms until they bleed. And for every boy with autism who gets to go the prom, there are 50 boys with autism who hit and kick and bite and hurt other people. Zampino talks about her son's aggressive behaviour as a young child, and how for many years, she would flinch whenever he came near her, because she couldn't predict whether he would be loving or lash out. She argues that we, as a society, aren't aware of autism - not truly - because we only talk about the high points. We don't talk about the sad, messy, violent parts of autism, and so a community in California can say: "This isn't autism." But we used to talk about it. Less than ten years ago, the media narrative surrounding autism often displayed it at its worst - highlighting the devastating effects autism can have on a person's family, outlook, behaviours, etc. Chief culprit in this narrative of negativity was Autism Speaks - putting out videos like I Am Autism (transcript), in which the narrator, "autism", tells a parent: "If you're happily married, I will make sure that your marriage fails. Your money will fall into my hands, and I will bankrupt you for my own self-gain. I don't sleep, so I make sure you don't either." Zampino's article reflects a sentiment that tells us we have gone too far in the other direction - spotlighting only the most positive of autism stories - that we have ended up alienating the majority of Autistic people and their families from the conversation.  I believe we are starting to find a balance. We have seen a massive shift in media awareness of autism over the past ten years, reflected in shows like Parenthood, Criminal Minds, and Grey's Anatomy, prominently featuring Autistic characters, and delivering a sensitive portrayal of what the lives of these characters and their families are often like, for better or for worse. Movies like the biographical Temple Grandin, or fictional accounts like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close or Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, strive to depict the unique perspective of Autistic individuals, celebrating their successes while acknowledging their challenges. In print, we have potentially seen the most complex, and engaging portrayals of Autistic individuals in works like House Rules and The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time (now a Tony-award winning play!) I think that we, as people who care deeply about Autistic children of all ability levels and personalities, have a responsibility to think critically about the media coverage of autism, and give thought to the kinds of depictions that would provide a fair and honest picture of the roller coaster that autism can be - both the incredible highs and the devastating lows.