Youtuber exploiting his severely autistic daughter - please help

[username108]

There is a channel on youtube called FatheringAutism, which is based in the USA. The Dad has a severely autistic teenage daughter and he films her daily life- including distressing meltdowns. As an autistic person, it is really upsetting to see him exploit his daughter. He is making a fortune and has just bought a huge house with a pool etc. He apparently quit his job a few years ago to do this youtube thing full time as he obviously saw that it would earn him a fortune.

What concerns me is that a lot of his supporters are vulnerable people who send him money via paetreon and all these other platforms. A lot of autistic people have commented about how they don't like what he is doing and he basically tells them their opinions aren't relevant (despite claiming to raise autism awareness!).

So, I need your help. They have just been nominated for an award called the WEGO health awards. I have just tweeted the CEO of the WEGO health awards and expressed my thoughts, and I'm wondering if anyone else will do the same? I really don't want this guy (Fatheringautism) to be given a platform for autism advocacy when he continually exploits people who are vulnerable, including his poor daughter. You can tweet or email the CEO - his name is Jack Barrette.

You want to pretend these people don't exist.

More false, not to mention insulting, assumptions.

You are angry, but you are directing it at the wrong people and I think it's clouding your judgements.

I cant reply to that. It just doesn't make sense.

Again, insulting calling my.post bullshit.

It has nothing to do with what youve posted.

Its not ok to do something just because it earns money, no matter how much it is needed.

Nowhere do I deny, or even comment on, whether its needed. Its not ok. For me, IMO, ethically it doesn't sit well at all.

I am not seeking to inflame you, but you are getting more and more inflamed each time I respond. So again, goodnight. This stuff isn't helpful to anyone.

Lovely. What a charmer you are.

TruthOnTrial

Ah, people would only respond to it if it applied to them. I guess you've outted your true intentions now.

Are you having fun now?

I'm sure you are.

Bye

@PenguinPop

Do you personally know Abbie?

You say she is unemotional, doesn't feel shame or embarrassment. So you know her?

Severely autistic people DO feel. They feel all sorts.

You think I am offensive for calling you ignorant? That's because on this thread you are coming cross as ignorant.

You say you live this daily, in which case you will know that you can only know YOUR own lived experiences, and how you/your children react is NOT how others react. You go on about how right YOU are above all others here. You show that you lack that insight of knowing everyone is different, and seem to believe that your lived life is exactly how it is for all, so yes, that is ignorance.

@PenguinPop You want to pretend these people don't exist

No, I don't actually. Please do not tell me what I want, because you are wrong.

@TruthOnTrial You are angry, but you are directing it at the wrong people and I think it's clouding your judgements.

Spot on.

To be fair @penguinpop Abbie DOES watch videos of herself and appears to really enjoy watching them, so to say she wouldn’t react is wrong. But it’s also wrong to say she wouldn’t like it, because she does.

@PenguinPop If I show my child a video of himself, HE WOULD NOT REACT, FFS.

That is true for your child. It is not true for all.

As you said to me, You do not speak for all autistic people. well, neither do you.

You are the one thinking that severely autistic children do not react in the same way as your child. That is simply not always the case. You are obviously struggling, but to keep implying that Abbie feels nothing, because your child doesn't, is wrong.

You keep accusing us of wanting to keep severely autistic people hidden away, when in reality you don't seem to want to believe that children, adults like your child react differently to your child. They do. It is perfectly possible that Abbie feels shame/embarrassment.

OwlBeThere

That's fair. Admittedly, I have not seen every vlog but sometimes my child will seem to have an excited reaction to something when he is really just stimming (this is usually unpredictable). I assume all of the workers they have in and out of the house, plus the parents, would know if it's had a negative impact by now. If she enjoys it, that's even better.

@PenguinPop Having seen her through the medium of carefully edited video is NOT the same as KNOWING her.

Btw, I'm completely skeptical of if you guys are doing this in teams, using a VPN, or what. But honestly, get a life. So now the world is colluding against you, and telling you are wrong? Because there is no way that different people on other sides of the world can hold the opinion that you are wrong? Way to make this about you, Pop.

You can call me all the names you like, and be as rude as you like. Nothing says more about a person than how they interact with others who do not think like them, and you are the one name calling, and being paranoid that we are working together, against you.

I think you need to step away now, this thread isn't about you and you have derailed it for long enough. I don't think that can be helping much.

It's 12.45 over here is Australia, actually.

You keep accusing us of wanting to keep severely autistic people hidden away, when in reality you don't seem to want to believe that children, adults like your child react differently to your child. They do. It is perfectly possible that Abbie feels shame/embarrassment.

Why do you think you know better than all of the workers responsible for Abbie's care? If Abbie felt this shame/embarrassment that you are going on about, don't you think one of them would have flagged social services long before now? I think you're the one jumping to conclusions, and you are trying to turn it personal by saying I'm struggling. Well you have not 1 clue to who I am, just as you don't know Abbie. I'm in a far better position to understand the feelings of Abbie's family though, because I DO make the sacrifice everyday. You just want to judge. But again, do people who judge actually want to help? No.

@OwlBeThere To be fair @penguinpop Abbie DOES watch videos of herself and appears to really enjoy watching them, so to say she wouldn’t react is wrong. But it’s also wrong to say she wouldn’t like it, because she does.

I am pleased she enjoys them. But yes, it does go to prove in some way at least, that she feels something when watching them. I am pleased that it isn't shame or embarrassment as a PP seemed to think it should be.

@PenguinPop
And how do YOU know what I live everyday?

I have turned anything personal, but I can read that you are struggling. If that isn't what is happening and I am wrong, then I apologize. But you came on this full of vitriol for the op and you are not really listening to anyone else's lives experiences.

You are telling us that we want to hide children away, that we are judging, this that and the other.

All we want is to make sure that Abbie is properly supported, and you seem to follow this family a lot, so you could simply have said that. yet you name call, act paranoid that we are acting against you, you dismiss that severely autistic people have feelings because your own child doesn't.

You have taken this thread as an attack on you personally, and have attacked back.

I do not dismiss your life, I dismiss that your life is like anyone else's even if they are fighting that same battles, because no two autistic people are the same. You seem to think what fits for you, fits for all.

Autism isn't like that.

*haven't

Yes, it's much later here in the UK. Just one of the perks of staying up with a child in our situation. I hear that! Sleep and autism don't go together in our house either.

As for the helping comment, I meant helping you. Regardless of what you say, your posts scream struggling. I have already apologized if that's wrong.