I just saw the first "Inspiration Porn" Prom proposal of the season in my news feed today. The issue of Inspiration Porn is not strictly related to Autism, but since it IS Autism Awareness Month, I felt the need to post this again.... You are NOT doing a wonderful thing for someone if you have to share the video of that wonderful thing you've done with the world. You did it to make yourself feel like a hero. A real hero does not need to broadcast...
Facebook Status April 2, 2018
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From My Facebook Memories one year ago - (later, I read a post from my friend over at Running Through Water:- about this very same clip. Her post is linked at the end - give it a read)
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Whether they meant to or not..., they nailed it! SNL, nailed viral disability videos and inspiration porn ....
- Asking someone to the prom does not a hero make. Making it a video using the boy with autism which then goes viral, does not a hero make.
-An employer standing up for his employee, by posting the story on Facebook 'after the fact' without asking the customers to leave at the time of the incident - does not a hero make.
- Using that same employee in an article that states many many times that his employee "suffers" from autism - does not a hero make.
- A football player eating lunch with the poor autistic boy (oh, but wasn't that so nice of him? As if the boy does not deserve to have lunch with anyone) - does not a hero make.
From Facebook Statuses at Take Another Step
Because I am a bit vocal about my aversion to inspiration porn, I have received a few comments about a post I wrote a few years ago, thanking a restaurant for going out of their way to do something nice for DC.
Yes, I wrote it.
Yes, I thanked them..... profusely!
Here's the difference though.
" I " wrote the Facebook post and the blog that came later.
" I " thanked them.
I asked them about the character. They chose to go out of their way to do this for him.
DC was sitting at the table and not even with with me when I was talking to the waiter.
They did not know of his autism, although I am sure they figured it out by the time Shrek arrived.
It was a nice thing for them to do for ANYONE and anyone (I would hope) would have thanked them.
More importantly:
THEY did not post it to social media in order to pat themselves on the back for doing this for him. I patted them on the back for going out of their way for their customers and my child.
There lies the difference. My son was not used as a pawn for a pat on the back. They did this because they are wonderful people. They did not expect anything in return.
It was a nice thing to do..... period. When someone goes out of their way for my child, I will thank them as I am sure most of you would.....
(You can read the full story here) - The Honorary Swamp Guard
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As promised, that post from Running Through Water that I mentioned above.
