Glee's portrayal of Asperger's Syndrome

[Wendy Kronenberg]

Were should I start here...? Well, first off, I myself have Asperger's Syndrome, and, well, when Fox announced that Glee would introduce a new character which had AS, I was elated. And when the season premiered Sept. 20, the character made her first appearnce.

 

I was less than pleased.

 

No. I was outraged! I felt so appauled, so embarrassed...This isn't what people think Asperger's is like... Is it?

 

The show introduced us to Sugar Motta, who gives us this lovely quote: “I have self-diagnosed Asperger’s so I can pretty much say whatever I want…I’m pretty much like a diplomat’s daughter.”

 

Um... Does Glee even know what Asperger's is like? Yes, she says that she diagsosed herself, which obviously means she's completely normal, she's just using this as an excuse to be a complete bitch to everyone. But I don't think Glee is considering the consequences. What will people who are ignorant of AS think? That all Aspies are huge apathic, self-absorbed a-holes who think they can get away with murder? Or maybe that anyone who claims to have AS is faking it to use it as an excuse?

 

It's like they didn't even bother with doing any research. Yes, I'm sure that's the whole point, to show that the character is just BS-ing the whole thing, but I still feel offended. To conclude my little tangent, I'd like you all to check out the following link, which I feel is much more helpful than Wikipedia: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/AspergerSyndrome?...

 

I think that's everything I have to say. What do you guys think? Do you have any say in the matter?

[Abreo]

I do have a say in the matter and I will fire her! 

 

My conclusion is that it doesn't matter and I don't care. I'm not trying to troll you like some kind of apathetic twat but this is really the approach you need to take with these things. You're wasting your time and energy by caring and there isn't an unlimited amount of time or energy in this universe so you should direct it towards something that matter.

 

When you protest a show like that the people you're trying to reach, aka the viewers of said show, will either know it's bull already or they'll just ignore you and tell you it's just a tv show. Getting angry about it won't change a thing, and thats the sort of thing that I used to get pissy about but I don't know. As I get older I'm beginning to realize thats not the most important thing in life. No matter what you do misinformation will always be the most common form of information. 

 

I mean you're watching Glee, I don't think they portray anything truthfully, if they did they wouldn't use auto-tune on their singers. If however she is just giving herself an excuse to be a bitch then it will without a doubt pop up in the storyline at some point so you have no need to worry about that because everyone on the show will learn a lesson about lying to everyone and making up disorders for yourself and they'll all grow or something yadda yadda yadda and the viewers will learn something too. 

[Devin Castro]

Well, I read Abreo's response and I can tell you that you should feel free to conclude that his reply doesn't matter and that you don't care.

Having Asperger's is a part of your life that will not change. It is something that defines and stigmatizes you from everyone who is neurotypical. It is absolutely NOT something to trivialize. Honestly, it's comparable to having Glee create a Pagan character who runs around naked saying that she has the right because she's pagan. It seems ridiculous, doesn't it? (Alright it's a bit of an exaggeration)

One of my best friends is a high-functioning Aspie. He's hilariously funny, though it's mostly dry sarcasm and self-deprecation. He's very intelligent. Honestly, the only thing separating him from any neurotypicality is that he has had to learn his social skills (and he still doesn't meet anyone's eyes, though he will look at you if you aren't looking at him).

Glee's portrayal of this ignorant girl may cause further injury to a very serious disorder that many people honestly don't know anything about. And Wendy has every right to be outraged. Do you know how many kids have never even heard of Asperger's Syndrome? Their only knowledge of it will now be from this one episode of Glee (because, no, she won't have a resolution... her mini-arch was only in the episode to make Will a better character, etc etc).

People who have Asperger's or who advocate those people want the world to be educated. They want everyone else to understand their condition. Not even for purposes of feeling "special" (in fact, Josh typically hates when someone will suddenly treat him with care when they find out he's 'one of those')! Simply because ignorance makes a distinction between "us" and "them". And there shouldn't be.

I'm sorry that there's nothing that can be done about it. But know that I, at least, understand and empathize with your anger.

[Abreo]

Well, I read Abreo's response and I can tell you that you should feel free to conclude that his reply doesn't matter and that you don't care.

 

It's nice to know you have the special ability to speak for others. While I'm sure she doesn't give a damn about my response she didn't need you to tell her not to. 

[Devin Castro]

That sentence was a stylistic attempt to reiterate your first sentence, which was incredibly insulting and seemed intentionally malevolent.

[PlatypusPrime]

Given the amount of stupidity on the show in question, I really don't think you should worry about this. Anyone who watched the show and didn't know what Asperger Syndrome was will either assume that people with Aspergers are probably nothing like that, or they'll go and actually do some research about it and learn that people with Aspergers are nothing like that. In either case, you win.

[Sailesh Patel]

I am Autistic so this is an insult, but as I've been steriotyped by my fellow peers, so I'm quite use to it. But I do believe that people should be educated on the issue

[Wendy Kronenberg]

I don't think some of you quite understand what I'm getting at... Yes, I know the whole joke is that the character is "self-diagnosed" and is just using this as an excuse. But it's not something to joke about. There are people who are genuinely ignorant of what Asperger's is, and as Devin pointed out, what they saw on Glee will be their only knowledge of the condition at all. For those who have never heard of AS before, and those who say that I'm overreacting, I suggest you take the time to educate yourself. Aspies (as we like to call ourselves) are people, too, people who want to be understood, to not be laughed at. We live rough childhoods, and people who don't understand where we're coming from see our quirks and laugh at them. Glee thinks that their so special for putting the spotlight on such an issue, but the spotlight in not on Asperger's Syndrome-- it's just simple douchebaggery.

 

Does anyone watch The Big Bang Theory? That's Asperger's done right (for the most part).

[Eli V]

I have to disagree on the point of whether Glee should make fun of a topic purely based on the firm belief that everything is something that should be made fun of.

 

As for the character with Asperger's, you make a very good point. She misrepresents the disease and can easily cause misinformation about it to spread, and Glee should be aware that this character can humiliate a group of people who are already having a hard time fitting in with society.

[Abreo]

For those who have never heard of AS before, and those who say that I'm overreacting, I suggest you take the time to educate yourself.

 

Read: only uneducated people could possibly disagree with me. 

[Kenny]

Yes, I know the whole joke is that the character is "self-diagnosed" and is just using this as an excuse. But it's not something to joke about.

 

And there are people who walk around with "self-diagnosed" Aspergers who use it as an excuse to make no attempt at fitting in with the world.  And those people are dicks.  Raising awareness about dicks is a noble cause in and of itself.

[Tardis Tasha]

I think you're making too big a deal of this. Yes, it would be disappointing for you if you'd been expecting a sensitive portrayal of Asperger's. But Sugar Motta quite clearly is not supposed to be a character with an actual case of Asperger's. If the writers of Glee were serious about having a character with Asperger's syndrome, they would have done it sensitively and respectfully. Look how they've portrayed people in wheelchairs, and Down's Syndrome. 

I also think you're underestimating the viewers of Glee. They are smart enough to know Sugar is not a realistic depiction of Asperger's Syndrome. And as for the people who are ignorant of it? Don't you think some of them might google it to find out what it really is like?

[Tardis Tasha]

Also, the actress said she shot three episodes, so maybe her storyline will become more developed.