Read on Twitter
TW: ableism
My dad and I were talking about Star Trek cuz we both love ST & he mentioned the DS9 ep where the baby changeling dies. And I said I *haaated* that episode (because I do). And he wanted to know why. So I told him.
This does end happily btw.
1/
My dad and I were talking about Star Trek cuz we both love ST & he mentioned the DS9 ep where the baby changeling dies. And I said I *haaated* that episode (because I do). And he wanted to know why. So I told him.
This does end happily btw.
1/
TW: ableism
Look at Data, Odo, Seven, Joe, & kinda T& #39;Pol. What do they all have in common?
They& #39;re coded autistic. Now with T& #39;Pol it& #39;s b/c she& #39;s a Vulcan but the other 3 it& #39;s very deliberate and very obvious.
Know what else they got in common?
They lose their kids.
2/
Look at Data, Odo, Seven, Joe, & kinda T& #39;Pol. What do they all have in common?
They& #39;re coded autistic. Now with T& #39;Pol it& #39;s b/c she& #39;s a Vulcan but the other 3 it& #39;s very deliberate and very obvious.
Know what else they got in common?
They lose their kids.
2/
TW: ableism
Lal? Dies after an episode-long debate ab whether Data has the right to reproduce, is a fit parent for HIS kid & whether his autistic kid has the right to not be institutionalized.
Changeling baby? Dies. It& #39;s a tragic episode despite Odo getting his powers back.
3/
Lal? Dies after an episode-long debate ab whether Data has the right to reproduce, is a fit parent for HIS kid & whether his autistic kid has the right to not be institutionalized.
Changeling baby? Dies. It& #39;s a tragic episode despite Odo getting his powers back.
3/
TW: ableism
T& #39;Pol& #39;s daughter Elizabeth? Dies.
One, Seven & Joe& #39;s autistic-coded bio kid? Dies violently "for the good of the ship."
Mezoti & the twins? Given to strangers b/c those strangers are deemed better parents for autistic-coded kids than an autistic-coded woman.
4/
T& #39;Pol& #39;s daughter Elizabeth? Dies.
One, Seven & Joe& #39;s autistic-coded bio kid? Dies violently "for the good of the ship."
Mezoti & the twins? Given to strangers b/c those strangers are deemed better parents for autistic-coded kids than an autistic-coded woman.
4/
TW: ableism, murder
Icheb, Seven& #39;s sole remaining kid after her 3 other adopted kids are stolen & her bio kid dies? Is kidnapped & vivisected, & she has to kill her autistic-coded kid "for his own good."
The other autistic-coded chars - Reg, Julian, Spock - don& #39;t have kids.
5/
Icheb, Seven& #39;s sole remaining kid after her 3 other adopted kids are stolen & her bio kid dies? Is kidnapped & vivisected, & she has to kill her autistic-coded kid "for his own good."
The other autistic-coded chars - Reg, Julian, Spock - don& #39;t have kids.
5/
Joe& #39;s daughter Belle? Dies.
The one main cast exception sort of to this rule is Tuvok, who has children but isn& #39;t raising them due to plot and isn& #39;t shown as "fish out of water" as T& #39;Pol (probably b/c he& #39;s MUCH older). He& #39;s "different," but isn& #39;t written as autistic-coded.
6/
The one main cast exception sort of to this rule is Tuvok, who has children but isn& #39;t raising them due to plot and isn& #39;t shown as "fish out of water" as T& #39;Pol (probably b/c he& #39;s MUCH older). He& #39;s "different," but isn& #39;t written as autistic-coded.
6/
Anyway so I was explaining this to my dad.
My dad is Black. My dad is 71 yrs old. This is relevant.
After I managed to stop yelling (b/c the trope is bullshit, not b/c of my dad), he told me this seems like how he used to notice how all the Black people on TV were maids.
7/
My dad is Black. My dad is 71 yrs old. This is relevant.
After I managed to stop yelling (b/c the trope is bullshit, not b/c of my dad), he told me this seems like how he used to notice how all the Black people on TV were maids.
7/
TW: ableism, murder
And I was like, "Yeah, basically. We& #39;re almost always shown as either & #39;shouldn& #39;t have& #39; or & #39;can& #39;t have& #39; happy romantic relationships or be good parents, and it& #39;s a stigma we deal with IRL."
Then I told him about the murders.
8/
And I was like, "Yeah, basically. We& #39;re almost always shown as either & #39;shouldn& #39;t have& #39; or & #39;can& #39;t have& #39; happy romantic relationships or be good parents, and it& #39;s a stigma we deal with IRL."
Then I told him about the murders.
8/
TW: ableism, murder, child abuse
Autistic children are at extremely high risk for being abused and/or killed by parents and/or caregivers. Not only that, but when they kill us, they get sympathy from the press, from the judicial system.
9/
Autistic children are at extremely high risk for being abused and/or killed by parents and/or caregivers. Not only that, but when they kill us, they get sympathy from the press, from the judicial system.
9/
TW: ableism, murder
"Oh, the kid is better off. What kind of life could they really have had?"
"You poor parent, you must& #39;ve been so overwhelmed. No wonder you snapped."
"I would rather die than have an autistic kid. I understand."
"Really, it& #39;s better this way."
10/
"Oh, the kid is better off. What kind of life could they really have had?"
"You poor parent, you must& #39;ve been so overwhelmed. No wonder you snapped."
"I would rather die than have an autistic kid. I understand."
"Really, it& #39;s better this way."
10/
My dad didn& #39;t know about these cases. He couldn& #39;t imagine thinking someone is better off dead than neurodivergent. He also mentioned if anyone ever said that about my cousin Seth - he has Down Syndrome - my dad would be hardpressed not to punch someone.
11/
11/
So basically, to make a long story even longer, I talked to my dad about autism-specific ableism in Star Trek, and despite me yelling a lot, it was a really good talk.
12/
12/
GDI I just realized I forgot to close the thread. 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤦🏽" title="Person facepalming (mittlerer Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Person facepalming (mittlerer Hautton)">
12+1/12
12+1/12
