Representation on Film

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

Gallego, Ana Guadalupe, Camino Ferreira, and Ana Rosa Arias-Gago. 2025. "Stereotyped Representations of Disability in Film and Television: A Critical Review of Narrative Media" Disabilities 5, no. 4: 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/disabilities5040087

Abstract:

Film and television play a key role in shaping cultural perceptions of disability, but they often rely on recurring stereotypes that may reinforce stigma and exclusion. Although scholarly interest in this issue has increased, the academic literature remains fragmented and lacks a comprehensive synthesis. This critical review examines how disability is represented through stereotypical portrayals in narrative audiovisual media, specifically scripted films and television series. It synthesizes peer-reviewed studies that explicitly analyze these representations and their narrative or sociocultural functions. The review identifies dominant tropes, theoretical frameworks, and disciplinary approaches while providing a qualitative synthesis of key trends and findings. Although persistent stereotypes are still common, the review also highlights a growing presence of more inclusive and complex portrayals that challenge traditional norms. By providing a structured overview of existing research, this study enhances academic understanding of how disability is depicted on screen and supports efforts to promote more inclusive and accurate representations in popular media.

Jones SC, Gordon CS, Mizzi S. Representation of autism in fictional media: A systematic review of media content and its impact on viewer knowledge and understanding of autism. Autism. 2023 Nov;27(8):2205-2217. doi: 10.1177/13623613231155770. Epub 2023 Feb 19. PMID: 36802826; PMCID: PMC10576905.

Abstract:

 Media depictions of autism have the potential to have either positive or detrimental impacts on the lives of autistic people. This systematic review aimed to examine (1) the accuracy and authenticity of fictional media portrayals of autism (Part A) and (2) the impact of viewing such portrayals on knowledge about autism and attitudes towards autistic people (Part B). Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review: 14 for Part A and 3 for Part B, comprising five experimental studies. The media reviewed in Part A covered a 30-year period (1988–2017). Several stereotypical and unhelpful portrayals surfaced. Positive portrayals of autism highlighted strengths and reflected nuance. Overall, participants in the fiction conditions in Part B were significantly more likely to attribute positive traits to an autistic person than those in the control conditions, with medium effect sizes ranging from 0.57 to 0.73. There were no improvements in knowledge. Given the small number of studies included in this review, further evidence is needed to understand the conditions under which fictional media may be effective. There is also a need to develop measures that accurately and respectfully measure autistic people’s experiences of community knowledge and attitudes.

From the article:

The representation of autistic people in fictional media remains problematic. The studies included in this review found that portrayals of autism in film tend to focus on individuals with high support needs (e.g. full-time care and support), thus disregarding the varying levels of support that may be required by different individuals on the spectrum and the fluctuations in the amount of support required within the life span of an autistic person. Studies also contained explicit or implicit disablism, and consistent with findings from previous reviews, television series tended to focus on stereotypical portrayals of the autistic savant (Dean & Nordahl-Hansen, 2021; Fontes & Pino-Juste, 2021). Across all mediums, there was an overrepresentation of repetitive/restricted behaviours and an underrepresentation of social communication deficits; although, somewhat encouragingly, recent novels, picture books and television series were more likely to provide a nuanced representation of autism (Kelley et al., 2018; Kelley et al., 2015; Wolff, 2018).

 

Consulting on TV Autism Representation

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

Johanna Alonso at Inside Higher Ed:

It’s a little bright in here,” the doctor says, shutting off the lights in the examination room in a busy ER. She also takes the time to turn off a device that’s beeping and close the doors to the rest of the bustling emergency room. “Sorry—the, uh, ER can be kind of noisy.”

“I agree,” the patient replies.

That moment of understanding between a resident physician and a patient who was autistic, in HBO Max’s The Pitt, was originally conceived by Wendy Ross, a professor at Thomas Jefferson University and the director of Jefferson Health’s Center for Autism and Neurodiversity.

Ross served as a consultant on the first season of the show, giving input into a character the showrunners were planning—a female doctor with autism. Ross said she connected with the writers and producers on an hourlong Zoom call, during which she suggested a scene in which the doctor communicated with a patient who was autistic more effectively than another non-autistic doctor had.

She had one overarching tip about the character, Mel King, a spunky second-year resident played by actress Taylor Dearden: “Especially if it’s a woman, that they should make it really subtle” that she is autistic, Ross said. “A lot of women don’t even know. They should definitely not make her a savant.”

Indeed, the show doesn’t confirm whether Dr. King is autistic, but fans have noticed that she exhibits a lot of traits of autism, such as self-soothing, enjoying repetitive tasks and missing social cues; plus, her sister is autistic. (Dearden has said in interviews that she thinks of the character as having ADHD, like herself.)

Ross said she’s grateful she had the chance to shape an accurate autistic character in what has since become an incredibly popular TV show, winning five Emmy Awards for its first season. The show wraps up its second season tonight.

“Representations in TV and movies and media are very important because they reach more people than the news or other didactic information,” she said. “Explaining the nuances of demonstrating them in a story line is very powerful.”

Autism Depictions and Autistic People

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

White, J.M., Snape, S. Effect of Autism Portrayal in Television and Film Media on Viewers With Autism. J Autism Dev Disord (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07305-4.  Abstract

Purpose

Representation of people with autism in television and film media is increasing. However, inaccurate or stereotypical representations can be potentially harmful to the world’s view of people with autism. This has been widely explored in previous literature. However, less attention has been given to analysing how people with autism perceive these representations and the effect that these representations have on people with autism themselves. The current study therefore explored the perceptions of people with autism on representations of autism in television and film media and the effects that these representations have on them.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on this topic. Thematic analysis was then carried out.

Results

Thematic analysis identified three key themes: ‘neurotypical actors in autistic roles leads to feelings of discomfort’; ‘autism representation is well-meaning, but lazy’; and ‘harmful effect of the autistic savant’.

Conclusion

Overall, rather than empowering and including people with autism, the representations of autism in television and film media that they encountered were often found to be distressing. These findings have clear implications for how autism representation in television and film media could be improved.

From the article:

The current study aimed to directly elicit and analyse the views of people with autism on representations of autism in television and film media and to explore the effect that these representations have on them. Through interviews with people with ASD and subsequent thematic analysis three key themes were identified: neurotypical actors in autistic roles leads to feelings of discomfort; autism representation is well meaning, but lazy; and the harmful effect of the autistic savant.

The currents study’s findings that viewing neurotypical actors playing autistic characters was perceived negatively by the viewers with autism and as a missed opportunity for greater autistic representation furthers the idea that more consideration should be given to casting actors with autism in roles that portray autism. This is consistent with the suggestions of many critics of autism media (e.g. Bastow, 2021; O’Keeffe, 2017; Thomson, 2021) and supports the endorsement of casting actors with autism by autistic survey respondents in previous research by Orm et al. (2023). The current study’s findings further expand on these ideas, by suggesting that a clear underlying reason for viewers with autism’s rejection of neurotypical actors playing autistic characters may be that viewing this can cause significant discomfort in viewers with autism. Some may even view these representations as offensive. Mimicking autism related behaviours, such as stimming by these non-autistic actors was seen to be particularly discomforting to the viewers with autism, which supports suggestions that seeing this on screen can be perceived as harmful and a mockery of those with autism (e.g. Draaisma, 2009; Brady & Cardin, 2021).

The current study’s finding that viewers with autism felt that the depictions of autistic characters in television shows and films tended to be somewhat lazy, relying on stereotypical representations supports the claims of critics that media portrayals of autism are often stereotypical (e.g. Nordahl-Hansen, 2017; Lee & Deng, 2020; Ressa, 2021). Stereotypical representations may feed into the potential association between how autism is represented in the media and stigma (e.g. Broderick, 2010; Holton, 2013). The current study also highlights that in addition to the lasting societal impact that inaccurate information and poor portrayals of autism can have (Brede et al., 2017; Black et al., 2020) these stereotypical or negative representations can potentially create unease or even anger in viewers with autism. Therefore, the rejection of stereotypical representations of autism by viewers with autism may be motivated not only by a desire to see accurate representations, but also by the discomfort that inaccurate representations provoke within them. Viewing these inaccurate portrayals could have potential effects on the individual’s sense of self, as what they are seeing on screen is supposedly a representation of the group that they belong to. Where the focus is on negative depictions of autism this may even affect the individual's mental health (Cage et al., 2018).

Additionally, the current study’s findings that viewers with autism feel that the frequent featuring of the ‘autistic savant’ stereotype is not representative of people with autism supports previous research which highlights its overuse (e.g. Anjay et al., 2011). This also further validates criticism of one of the earliest representations of autism in film Rain Man (Levinson, 1988) for its stereotypical focus on the ‘autistic savant’ trope (Hannam, 2014). In addition, the current study expands upon the overuse of the ‘autistic savant’ stereotype by highlighting the potential effect that the overuse of this trope can have. Specifically, it can lead to the unrealistic expectation in others that all people that they encounter with autism will essentially be geniuses. This can lead to confusion in individuals with autism when they encounter people who have formed this view, as they may not understand why this expectation is being placed upon them. When they are subsequently unable to live up to this unrealistic expectation they may be left feeling negatively about themselves or may even not understand why they are not able to do the things that they see autistic characters do in television and film media.

 

Autism Barbie

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  In 2022, Mattel, Inc announced  the introduction of Bruno, the first autistic character in the iconic Thomas & Friends franchise.

A release from Mattel:

Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) unveiled today its first-ever autistic Barbie doll created with guidance from the autistic community to represent common ways autistic people may experience, process, and communicate about the world around them. This doll invites more children to see themselves represented in Barbie.

Developed for more than 18 months in partnership with ASAN, a non-profit disability rights organization run by and for autistic people that advocates for the rights of the autistic community, this doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which features the most diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, and various medical conditions and disabilities.

“Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work,” said Jamie Cygielman, Global Head of Dolls, Mattel. “The doll, designed with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie."

In close collaboration with ASAN, the Barbie design team made intentional design choices for the autistic Barbie doll to authentically reflect some experiences individuals on the autism spectrum may relate to. The autistic Barbie doll features and accessories include: Body: The autistic Barbie doll features elbow and wrist articulation, enabling stimming, hand flapping, and other hand gestures that some members of the autistic community use to process sensory information or express excitement.Eye Gaze: The doll is designed with an eye gaze shifted slightly to the side, which reflects how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact.Accessories: Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet.Fidget Spinner: The doll holds a pink finger clip fidget spinner that actually spins, offering a sensory outlet that can help reduce stress and improve focus.

Headphones: Pink noise-cancelling headphones rest on top of the doll’s head as a helpful and fashionable accessory that reduces sensory overload by blocking out background noise.
Tablet: A pink tablet showing symbol-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps (AAC) on its screen serves as a tool to help with everyday communication. Sensory-Sensitive Fashions: The doll wears a loose-fitting, purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. Purple shoes complete the outfit, with flat soles to promote stability and ease of movement.

“As proud members of the autistic community, our ASAN team was thrilled to help create the first-ever autistic Barbie doll. It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is. Partnering with Barbie allowed us to share insights and guidance throughout the design process to ensure the doll fully represents and celebrates the autistic community, including the tools that help us be independent. We’re honored to see this milestone come to life, and we will keep pushing for more representation like this that supports our community in dreaming big and living proud.” - Colin Killick, Executive Director, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

As part of the doll launch, Barbie is teaming up with advocates for the autistic community, including mother-daughter duo Precious and Mikko Mirage, autism advocate and creative entrepreneur Madison Marilla, and autistic fashion designer and visual artist Aarushi Pratap, to celebrate their lived experiences and lifestyles. The Barbie team filmed a unique video with them to capture and honor their personal experience with autism and delighted reactions to seeing the autistic Barbie doll for the first time. The video is available to view on the Mattel YouTube channel.

“Dolls have always brought me comfort, stability, and joy. I’ve been collecting Barbie dolls since I was four years old, and now this autistic Barbie will be one of my favorites,” said Madison Marilla, Autism Advocate and Creative Entrepreneur. “My good friend said these words to me, let yourself out and don't hold yourself in, and it taught me how to educate people about autism. This autistic Barbie makes me feel truly seen and heard. I hope all the kids I’ve mentored feel the same when they see her, and I hope people who aren’t autistic feel educated and gain a better understanding of autism when they see this doll.”

Consistent with the Fashionistas dolls representing individuals with type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome and blindness, the autistic Barbie doll was named and created with the community’s guidance to allow more children to see themselves in Barbie. This doll, along with the entire Fashionistas collection boasts over 175+ looks, can help children better understand the world around them by encouraging doll play outside of a child’s own lived experience. It’s yet another step in making the Barbie brand a more inclusive reflection of the children who play with it.

Building on the importance of feeling understood and connected through play, beginning in 2020, Barbie set out to research the short- and long-term benefits of doll play through a multi-year study with researchers at Cardiff University, finding that playing with dolls activates parts of children’s brains involved in empathy and social processing skills. In recent years, the study has continued to build on these findings, suggesting that doll play could help develop social skills for all children, including those who display neurodivergent traits commonly associated with autism.

To celebrate the launch, Barbie will donate more than 1,000 autistic Barbie dolls to leading pediatric hospitals that provide specialized services for children on the autism spectrum, including Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), and Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County. This donation is intended to bring moments of joy, comfort, and representation to the community, reinforcing the power of play to foster connection and confidence.

The autistic Barbie doll is now available on Mattel Shop and from major retailers.

Disability Representation on TV

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.   With some notable exceptions, the story is not a pleasant one.

"The State of Disability Representation on Television: An Analysis of Scripted TV Series from 2016-2023."

The Ruderman Family Foundation, in collaboration with the Geena Davis Institute, has released a white paper analyzing disability representation in 350 scripted TV series from 2016 to 2023. The study reveals that nearly 80% of characters with disabilities are inauthentically cast, with overall representation remaining disproportionately low at just 3.9%, despite nearly 30% of the U.S. population identifying as disabled. Authentic casting has fluctuated without a clear upward trend, and disability representation lacks diversity, with most characters portrayed as white. The report calls for industry-wide changes, including increasing opportunities for creators with disabilities, implementing authentic casting, and normalizing disability in storytelling.

Spongebob Is Autistic

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  

Malia Mendez at LAT:

Tom Kenny is canonizing a popular “SpongeBob SquarePants” fan theory.

Kenny, who has voiced the animated series’ star sponge since the show’s premiere in 1999 and received two Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance, recently confirmed that his character has autism.

“SpongeBob’s kind of on the spectrum, too, as a character,” he said during a May Q&A at Motor City Comic Con in Detroit. Footage of the Q&A reposted Tuesday on X has since gone viral.

During the panel, Kenny recalled the first time he was pressed on the subject: “A person who was obviously on the spectrum came up to me and said, ‘I have a question for you, Tom Kenny, is SpongeBob autistic

Disability Onscreen

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

Matt Grobar at Deadline:

Inevitable Foundation, the non-profit advocating on behalf of the disabled filmmaking community, on Wednesday unveiled a new report examining how the global disability audience continues to be underserved across the streaming and theatrical landscapes, despite representing a large and engaged demographic.

The “Audiences Are Waiting for Hollywood to Greenlight Disability” report, from the Foundation’s Research Institute, surveyed over 1,000 people — both disabled and non-disabled — about the current state of disability and mental health representation on-screen.

The findings were as follows:

• 66% of audiences are unsatisfied with current representations of disability and mental health in film and TV.
• 35% of disabled people watch 20+ hours of TV per week, compared to 25% non-disabled people.
• 20% of all audiences would subscribe to a new streaming service and go to more movies in theaters if they included authentic representations of people with disabilities and mental health conditions.
• 40% of audiences, disabled and non-disabled alike, are very likely to recommend a film or TV show to friends and family if it showcases authentic representations of disability and/or mental health conditions.

...

The full Greenlight Disability Report can be found at the link.

Neurodivergence in Adulthood

 In The Politics of Autism, I write:

Many analyses of autism speak as if it were only a childhood ailment and assume that parents are the main stakeholders. But most children with autism grow up to be adults with autism, and they suffer uniquely high levels of social isolation. Almost 40 percent of youth with an autism spectrum disorder never get together with friends, and 50 percent of never receive phone calls from friends. These figures are higher than for peers with intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, or learning disability. When school ends, many adults with autism have grim prospects. Though evidence is sparse, it seems that most do not find full-time jobs. Compared with other people their age, they have higher rates of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and suicide attempts.

But there are also positive stories of autistic adults, including those who received their diagnosis later in life. 

Alexandra Del Rosario at LAT:

For Tallulah Willis, an Instagram throwback about her father, Bruce Willis, evolved into a public conversation about her experience with autism.

Tallulah, the 30-year-old daughter of the “Die Hard” star and his ex-wife, actor Demi Moore, revealed over the weekend that she was diagnosed with autism last year. On Instagram, she posted a video of her younger self in her father’s arms as he answers questions at a red-carpet premiere . In the clip, the younger Willis runs her hands over her father’s head, touching his ears.

“Tell me your [sic] autistic without telling me your [sic] autistic 😂,” she captioned her throwback post.

While the Instagram video garnered multiple comments expressing love for the tender father-daughter moment, it also prompted responses from people in the autism community, including parents whose children were diagnosed at an early age and a psychologist who specializes in neurodivergent conditions.

Meet Kendall Griffin, a neurodivergent college student at Pepperdine University! My son Joshua Pitney co-directed this mini-documentary for Big Heart Toys.

Kendall highlights the positive impacts that accommodations in university have on her learning experience, which other neurodivergent students may relate to! Kendall’s journey portrays the intersect of mental health and finding the freedom to be “comfortably neurodivergent.” While seeking the security to be herself, build connections, and pursue her passions – particularly in theater – she uncovers the beauty and strength within her.   Kendall’s answer to creating a more accepting world? “Showing compassion, love, and understanding – even if you don’t understand – it goes a long way.”

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Autistic Comedians

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  

Rachel Aroesti at The Guardian:

In fact, autism seems to be significantly overrepresented among professional standups. (It is estimated – perhaps conservatively – that about 1% of the world’s population are autistic.) Earlier this year, the Scottish comic Fern Brady won the inaugural Nero nonfiction award for her memoir Strong Female Character, a chronicle of the struggles that led to her autism diagnosis. Hannah Gadsby, who rose to fame with the multi-award-winning 2017 show Nanette, also received a diagnosis of autism as an adult, while other comedians who have said they are autistic include Jim Jefferies and Bethany Black, alongside a clutch of up-and-coming standups who discuss their diagnosis in their work (Larry Dean, Ashley Storrie).

...

Autism is not the only form of neurodivergence that is prevalent in standup according to [Pierre] Novellie; he says he knows many comedians with ADHD. However, he and Wells both believe some autistic traits are especially useful when it comes to creating and performing live comedy. In order to finesse a routine, the standup must tell the same jokes over and over again, which means “you need to be obsessive and enjoy repeating things”, says Novellie (intense interests and repetitive behaviour are common autistic traits). Joke-writing itself is also a more scientific enterprise than it might appear. Wells describes it as a “systemising way of writing: you can rearrange a sentence and then it will be funnier. Many autistic brains are more suited to that sort of problem-solving.”

...

One conclusion Novellie came to is that “a lot of being autistic seems to be to do with excess sensitivity. And that is always a boon when it comes to observing for observational comedy.” He believes autistic comedians are often noticing the same things as neurotypical people, only more so, leading to “this fun little ‘Oh yeah – that is what it’s like!’ moment for people because [most of the time] they’re busy being not hypersensitive to their environment.”

RFK Jr. Event in Los Angeles

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the discredited notion that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread.   And among those diseases could be COVID-19.

Antivaxxers are sometimes violent, often abusive, and always wrong. A leading anti-vaxxer is presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  He has repeatedly compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust.  Rolling Stone and Salon retracted an RFK article linking vaccines to autism.

He is now running for president as an independent. 

Dani Anguiano at The Guardian:

Inside the Million Dollar Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night, comedians cracked jokes about wokeness, the “scamdemic”, Joe Biden’s age and stumbles – and Robert F Kennedy Jr made his pitch, of sorts, to voters.

 ...

Kennedy has been campaigning across the country for months, and on Wednesday he was on his home turf of Los Angeles, where his wife, Cheryl Hines, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star, hosted a fundraiser in the form of a comedy show. The event was open to anyone with $150 to spare and promised a “Night of Laughter” with standup from names such as Adam Carolla, Jeremy Piven and Rob Schneider – the one-time SNL star and now conservative influencer.

...

Kennedy has polled higher than expected and drawn support from both Democrats and Republicans, though a review by FiveThirtyEight of eight polls on his popularity found that he was better liked among Republicans, which some experts believe is due to his promotion of conspiracy theories and role as an anti-vaccine activist.

...

Some comedians did not touch on politics at all, but jokes about Biden falling or the pandemic being “designed” drew rapturous applause, as did a line about Larry David’s support for Barack Obama. The creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm told the New York Times last year that he is not backing Kennedy’s candidacy. Mentions of California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, unsurprisingly also elicited boos.

The reference to the "scamdemic" calls to mind a disruptive 2021 protest at a Dodger Stadium mass vaccination  site:

A post on social media described the demonstration as the “Scamdemic Protest/March.” It advised participants to “please refrain from wearing Trump/MAGA attire as we want our statement to resonate with the sheeple. No flags but informational signs only.

Autism on TV

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  

Sauermilch, W.S., Ivey, M.L., Rasmussen, E.E. et al. Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children’s Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability. J Autism Dev Disord (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06215-z

Television programs have introduced viewers to characters on the autism spectrum (e.g., Sesame Street, The Good Doctor), impacting audiences’ knowledge and attitudes. Thus, it is essential that character representations convey accurate health information. This study explores how autistic portrayals across six adult and children’s television programs align with the medical (e.g., American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787) and social models of disability. A content analysis methodology was used to investigate defining characteristics of autism (i.e., medical model) and how characters navigated their environment (i.e., social model) in 252 scenes (across six characters in 22 episodes). Measures included the frequency with which autism characteristics (e.g., social-communicative difficulties, restrictive repetitive behaviors) were present across autistic portrayals and the valence (e.g., positive, negative, neutral) with which characters interacted with their environment (e.g., character and neurodiversity affirming valence). Findings indicate that (a) television portrayals depict social-communication difficulties significantly more than behavioral characteristics, (b) children’s programming portrays autistic characters with significantly more positive personal attributes (i.e., character valence) than adult programs, and (c) the majority of programs portray characters navigating autism in positive or neutral ways (i.e., neurodiversity affirming valence). Results offer stakeholders (e.g., writers, advocates, neurodiverse community) insight into how autistic characters are portrayed on television, adding to a growing body of literature examining how such representations impact public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals on the autism spectrum. Collectively, such studies highlight how changes in diagnostic criteria, legal protections, and social inclusivity are presented to viewers, who are seeking entertainment but gaining public health information.

Autism in Entertainment

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  There is a need for authentic casting. 

At CBS, David Pogue reports on the musical "How to Dance in Ohio."

"All of us who work on the show get messages from autistic individuals saying, 'I've seen myself represented onstage.' That's what we do it for," said Sammi Cannold, the show's director. She was not, however, its first one. That was the legendary Hal Prince, director of shows like "Phantom of the Opera," "Evita," "Cabaret," and many Sondheim musicals. He sadly passed away in 2019.

"Hal's granddaughter is autistic; my brother is autistic," said Cannold. "For him the show was very personal; for me the show is very personal."

But "How to Dance in Ohio" isn't just about autistic people. All of the autistic characters are played by autistic actors.

 Cannold said feedback she got from people saying, "I don't think you're gonna find the actors that you're looking for," implying that there aren't enough Broadway-caliber actors with autism. But, she said, "We could've cast the show three times over."

 There are also autistic filmmakers.

How to Dance in Ohio, on Broadway

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  There is a need for authentic casting. 

NOW ON BROADWAY

Based on the Peabody Award-winning HBO documentary, How to Dance in Ohio is a heart-filled new musical exploring the need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. At a group counseling center in Columbus, Ohio, seven autistic young adults prepare for a spring formal dance—a rite of passage that breaks open their routines and sets off hilarious and heartbreaking encounters.

How to Dance in Ohio

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture.  There is a need for authentic casting.

Eril Piepenburg at NYT:

To get to Amigo Family Counseling, I walked down beige hallways on the first floor of a building in a ho-hum Columbus, Ohio, office park a short walk from a Bob Evans restaurant.

The center’s clinical director, Dr. Emilio Amigo, waved at me once I got inside. Behind a closed door I heard the voices of his clients — autistic young adults from mostly working- and middle-class central Ohio families — boisterously chatting about their Friday night plans.

I was there to talk about “How to Dance in Ohio,” a new Broadway musical that features Dr. Amigo and seven of his autistic clients as characters. The show — pop in score and sensibility — is based on Alexandra Shiva’s 2015 documentary, which follows Dr. Amigo and many more of his clients as they navigate life and eagerly, but anxiously, prepare for a spring formal. (The musical is in previews at the Belasco Theater in Manhattan, where it is scheduled to open on Dec. 10. The documentary is on Max.)

...

In a Broadway first, openly autistic actors are playing the autistic characters, in this case seven. All those actors are making their Broadway debuts. (Non-autistic actors portray other people, including Dr. Amigo, played by Caesar Samayoa.) Ashley Wool, who plays Jessica, hopes the casting puts to rest a misconception about autistic actors: That if there are any, they must be less talented or expressive.

...

Openly autistic actors performing onstage is not common, but it’s also not new. In 2017 at Syracuse Stage, the autistic actor Mickey Rowe played the autistic teenager at the center of the Tony Award-winning play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

But that was an exception. Of the people I spoke with, the best grade anyone gave Broadway when it came to autism and accessibility was a D+.

“How to Dance in Ohio” is aiming for an A. The production hired Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt, who is on the autism spectrum, as its autistic creative consultant to make sure the script is authentic about autism and that rehearsal rooms are accessible, among other concerns. The production is working on several front-of-house accessibility efforts, including cool-down spaces. And while the production is sensory friendly, the T.D.F. performance in January will offer further accommodations, like keeping on the house lights during the performance.

Disability in Hollywood

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

UCLA report on diversity in movies:

Comprising at least 26 percent of the United States population, adults with a disability were underrepresented in front of the camera in top films in 2022.

 9.1 percent of theatrical film leads

6.1 percent of streaming film leads

5 percent of total theatrical film actors

4.2 percent total streaming film actors 

UCLA report on diversity in TV:

Comprising at least 26 percent of the United States population,  adults with a disability were severely underrepresented in front of the camera across all three platforms in 2021-22.

• 12.2 percent of broadcast scripted leads
• 9.9 percent of cable scripted leads
• 5.6 percent of digital scripted leads

Pop Culture and Stereotypes

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss challenges facing autistic adults and children.  One is stereotyping of autistic people.

 Claire Kenny at Ms.:

How do people without knowledge of autism normally picture an autistic person? Perhaps, as Dr. Devon Price said, “a white man with a monotone voice, rude demeanor and a penchant for science.” Price, a social psychologist, professor and trans author on the autism spectrum, lists in his book Unmasking Autism (2022) more stereotypical examples of autism in pop culture: Shaun Murphy from The Good Doctor, Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and Rick from Rick and Morty. In other words, he writes, some variation of “white boys who love trains.”

But autism can take many forms, and often presents differently in girls and boys.

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Women and girls on the spectrum have continuously been more under- or misdiagnosed with autism than boys, and on average receive diagnoses later in life than boys and men do. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) notes that the ratio of autistic boys and men to autistic girls and women is generally considered 4:1, yet NLM researcher Robert McCrossin suggests this statistic might be inaccurate due to sexist bias.

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Studies on autistic adults have found that women mask their autism more than men do, which could explain why they often fly under the radar. The cause may relate to sexist social expectations for women and discrimination from patriarchal medical systems.

Autism Portrayals

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss depictions of ASD in popular culture. 

Marisa Iati at WP:

The doctor’s voice rises each time he repeats the sentence, crescendoing into a scream by the eighth repetition.

“I am a surgeon!” Shaun Murphy yells at his chief of surgery, who had boxed him out of helping with a procedure.

The encounter, a scene from ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” went viral in some corners of the internet this week, with social media users mocking its intensity. Viewer reactions and the resulting memes reignited conversations about how the show, which just finished its sixth season, portrays its autistic protagonist.

Among experts and advocates for autistic people, opinions are mixed. Some said the character of Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, is depicted as an unfortunate assemblage of stereotypical behaviors, rather than as a full human. Others felt the protagonist fairly represents some autistic adults but offers no insight into the experiences of many others. Several called on ABC to employ more autistic screenwriters to make the show more authentic.

Autistic Filmmaker

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families.

Joshua Pitney (aka "JP"), a sophomore at Pepperdine University, made Infinite, a  7-minute narrative film.  It depicts an autistic student who come to accept his identity. It won several awards at the Christian Online Film Festival.

 Samantha Bravo at The Malibu Times:

‘Infinite’ just became an official selection of the International Christian Film & Music Festival

“Infinite,” a short film produced by Pepperdine University sophomore Joshua Pitney and senior Autumn Johnson, has won several awards at the 65th Christian Online Film Festival.

Pitney wrote and directed the film, which depicts an autistic student who comes to accept his identity. Originally developed for a Screen Arts Production 2 class, the project is inspired by Pitney’s own experiences.

“I am on the autism spectrum, and I strive to tell authentic neurodiverse stories,” said Pitney. “So, this assignment was an opportunity for me to showcase correct autism representation. I was also able to pull in my own experiences of struggling with my identity and realizing I was made just the way God intended for me to be.”

The 7-minute film garnered accolades for Best Student Film (Joshua Pitney, Autumn Johnson), Best Actor (Kyle Burnett – Charlie The Student), Best Actor Supporting (Jack Pitney – The Teacher), Best Music & Sound (Kyle Simpson, Nolan Ause), and Best Villain (Carlos Gomez – Casey The Bully).

A screen arts major, Pitney selected a crew of nearly all Pepperdine students to create “Infinite,” and he credits the university for supporting his cinematic and personal journeys.

Christian Online Film Festival Winner

 

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families.

Joshua Pitney (aka "JP"), a sophomore at Pepperdine University, made Infinite, a  7-minute narrative film.  It depicts an autistic student who come to accept his identity. It won several awards at the Christian Online Film Festival.

Infinite

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families.

Joshua Pitney (aka "JP"), a sophomore at Pepperdine University, made this 7-minute narrative film.  It depicts an autistic student who come to accept his identity.