Image Description: Aut Fest Logo, the words Aut Fest appear in white on a black clap board (like they use to differentiate takes on film shoots)
Dear Autism Society and Organizers of Aut Fest
I am writing to you as an actually autistic person who is very concerned about the fact that you have chosen to honour Ben Affleck at Aut Fest. Beyond the fact that The Accountant is full of horrific stereotypes. Affleck’s opinion of the role and how autism should be portrayed is deeply problematic (see here and here). Affleck’s inclusion not only hurts autistic people it suggests that you as an organization are ok with that in order for the attention his name will bring.
As a woman, I am also concerned about celebrating Ben Affleck in light of the fact that he actively shielded his brother from accusations of sexual assault & harassment. I want to live in a world where that kind of behaviour is not tolerated and where people who exhibit that behaviour are not honoured in ways that suggest that they are humanitarians.
It is of course also utterly ridiculous to honour a neurotypical actor for playing an autistic character as though this is groundbreaking humanitarian work. It is not. It is not brave. It is not a sacrifice. He did an acting gig for which he was paid. An acting gig that as I’ve previously mentioned utterly threw autistic people under the bus. It was an acting gig that as a consequence of being performed by Ben Affleck was not performed by an autistic actor. This further normalizes the idea that Hollywood should not actively seek to employ autistic actors or disabled people in general. It also solidifies the idea that it is appropriate and beneficial to have neurotypical people at the helm of telling stories about autistic people.
So, what then are you honouring Affleck for?
Is it because he said nice things about autistic people while he did media appearances for the film?
You know that’s actually part of his job, right? It’s advertising, not activism. It would not have been helpful to the film’s bottom line if he didn’t mention the film’s gimmick plot point.
It wouldn’t have gone over well if he had said that autistic people were evil. Particularly, because they were trying to sell the lie that his performance was authentic. The research and visiting autistic people was part of the PR campaign. It’s just unfortunate that the content of the film undermined those public assertions but again it was advertising, not activism.
So, I’m generally just confused as to what you are honouring for as he is just someone who did a job for which he was paid. As a result of doing that job, he reinforced stereotypes about autism, took a job that should have gone to an autistic person and told a story about autism that wasn’t his to tell.
The fact that you would capitalize on Affleck’s star power despite these concerns suggests that you are more interested in donations than you are in actually helping autistic people. I hope that you will reconsider your decision but know that as long as you don’t that you are not only not helping me (an actually autistic person) and are actively misrepresenting me.
Sincerely,
Kim Sauder
PS: Further reading on this
How ‘The Accountant’ Victimizes The Autistic Community
Autism Society Celebrates … Ben Affleck?
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