Knick knack Paddy's Back.

 Not content with being the poster boy for a sinister eugenics programme, top TeeVee tinker Paddy McGuinness and his family made a documentary called My Family And Autism (which Ro has kindly offered to review at a later date seeing as I got the short straw and had to watch Music) because celebrity parents voices aren't really heard enough when it comes to Autism.

Sorry if I seem a wee bit cynical but whatever the intention these things always seem to descend into woe is me disability porn only there to highlight the parents struggles and elevate their martyrdom.

Tho' judging from the pre-release interviews this might be different.

Oh.

As ever the narrative after the doc went a wee bit like this:

Autism Parents: "That documentary was so amazing! We need more understanding and compassion..."  

 

Actually Autistic types (including parents: "Hmmm...some of it was a wee bit problematic..." 

 

Autism Parents: "WHAT?!!? YOU KNOW NOTHING! SHUT UP!....PILE ON!"

 

General viewing public: "I'm glad that's not me."

 

Also:

 

 

But yet it's us who don't understand love and empathy.

 

To be honest I think the issue with shows such as this is one of perception.

 

As a parent you can identify with the struggles, hard work, frustrations etc but as an autistic parent you just see the troubles, stress and frustrations that you've caused people.

 

It's a constant reminder of your 'otherness'.

 

I can feel guilty enough on my own without celebs on TV reminding me of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As an aside did anyone else enjoy the irony of Christine McGuinness getting her diagnosis off the very researcher whose whole 'extreme male brain' theory/nonsense meant that so many girls have missed out of getting their own diagnosis and support over the years?

Seriously you couldn't make this shit up.