Aibu: the new Vanish advert makes autistic teens look like assholes

[Squirrefromthewirrell]

Just seen the new (at least to me) vanish detergent advert. It focuses on an autistic teen girl called Ash who has a favourite hoodie. All through the add the character is just displaying awful behaviour that even being autistic doesn't excuse (shouting at siblings to shut up, having a go at someone who accidentally walks into her, playing drums whilst her family are trying to spend time together)

Am I wrong to think it's just showing a very unsavoury side ? The overall message is lovely - extend the life of familiar clothes that can comfort people like ash who are autistic but the actual advert just rubbed me the wrong way

Try YouTube

I mean, DS always tells me that his teachers hate him and I brush it off. Thanks for the parenting lesson.

I have just watched the ad - and for some reason I am now blinking back tears. I think it was an incredible thing for Ash and her family to do, and actually very beautiful. I don't have any experience of autism and the ad felt like a very generous invitation into their lives.

I sobbed my heart out. My 7 year old daughter is currently being assessed. I saw our life in that advert, and the difficulties that are to come.

those who have no idea about the advert or can’t understand it demonstrates exactly why it was needed

I expected something else from the reading the op but actually I found it really moving

It works better if the girl in the ad is autistic rather than acting, which I assumed she was but not sure

What a horrible post @PoorOldHorse

I have an adult autistic son, he also has severe learning disabilities. If something he wanted was being washed lots of things would definitely get broken and someone would definitely get hurt. It’s not his fault. He has little understanding of the world around him and some of his things like clothes and toys make him feel safe.

your comment of “behaviour that being autistic doesn’t even excuse” shows you have absolutely no understanding of autism.

Autism isn’t just a different way of thinking, being a bit quirky or disliking change! Why should people see how difficult it can be.

I'm assuming you don't teach a core subject in FE, MrsDoylesDoily?

Video is easy to find.

The part in video I didn't understand is why the autistic girl got completely overwhelmed by XYZ and then promptly felt completely calmed down by very overwhelming things (like the sensory room & banging on the loud drumset).

Probably fair to say that overall being a very typical teen with contradictions like that (!!)

I have an ASD DD and I work with children with ASD. A lot of the ad was familiar and it also highlighted the difficulties of their siblings. Walking on eggshells, feeling like their needs are secondary, etc.
The part where she assumes the corridor bumping was deliberate was a great way to show the lack of understanding of other peoples motives and how that affects daily life.
I agree that it is a bit of a negative portrayal, but thats because ASD young people do live with a lot of struggles. I've felt awkward when its been on TV when my DD is watching because I didn't want her to feel worse about ASD.
I think its great that teenage girls with ASD are getting more awareness, it presents itself differently in girls than boys and it definitely needs to be in the public eye more.

those who have no idea about the advert or can’t understand it demonstrates exactly why it was needed

It needs to be clearer if it’s unable to be understood by those with no experience of autism. It’s just a poor advert not getting the point across.

And don’t forget that’s all it is, an advert, a way for Vanish to tick off a CSR box and display their social care credentials to flog some soap.

It’s a shame Ash didn’t get a better platform than this to educate people

Stop trying to make excuses for your poor attitude here, you're embarrassing yourself.

This thread is about an advert that includes a strong autism awareness message.

If you're trying to garner sympathy for yourself or your NT pupils, this particular thread is not the one to do it on.

Perhaps you'd like to start your own thread and move your whataboutery over to it.

I'm currently being assessed for Autism and that advert pissed me off tbh. On one hand, very glad to see autistic girls represented in the media, but on the other, I don't like that the representation was so negative. Being autistic doesn't automatically mean you have to be rude and so awful. I know the story behind the advert, it's a real girl who helped write the script etc. But still. There are plenty of autistic woman who would never tell someone to shut up, or to be so selfish as to play the drums over the TV.

Sensory rooms can be very calming for autistic pupils - hence why so many schools now have them.

Drumming is a stress relief and a distraction, when they need a coping mechanism or an 'outlet' if you like.

I do @PoorOldHorse. Well, I’ve just left after 15 years because DS isn’t in school full time. Massive college group in the South East.

All of my students can be (to use your word) assholes at times, because they’re teenagers.

In my experience, my worst students have been a small selection of NT girls who are more interested in their phones, sneaking an air pod in and hoping I don’t notice, whose got a charger they can borrow and rocking up 20 mins late with a Starbucks in their hands whilst blaming the bus. Then seemingly incredibly surprised and entitled when called out on all of the above.

I don’t tend to find my disabled students assholes, no. I do though absolutely recognise that there needs to be massively increased levels of support in the FE classroom for those students who are struggling, but that’s funding. The Government, they’re the assholes on that one, not a student with ASD who’s been forced to be a square peg in a round hole.

There are plenty of autistic woman who would never tell someone to shut up, or to be so selfish as to play the drums over the TV.

And when Ash becomes a woman, she she may well be one of those women who would never do that.

But right now, she's an autistic teenager trying hard to cope in an NT world.

@lljkk its not uncommon for people with asd to be sensory seekers as well as sensory avoiders and can even be a mix of both.

It makes a change to see autism not all flowers and sunshine to be fair 🤷‍♀️

I thought it was alright if your child is more the “high functioning” side. Not hugely representative when your child is profoundly autistic.

Wow thank you for sharing that OP I found it so moving seeing life from Ash’s perspective. Can’t believe it’s an ad. Her family seem amazing. Love the voice her mum used - so kind and patient. But it showed me how tough life is for all of them. A real eye opener for someone like me with no experience of autism and hopefully will help with more understanding.

Nothing to do with thread, but honestly, the number of teachers who can't distinguish between who's and whose is ridiculous!

@PoorOldHorse your post was extremely negative towards your ‘asshole’ students with autism. The inference was very clear that you didn’t know how to manage their difficulties and were more sympathetic towards the NT students who don’t have anything like the same challenges to overcome. I’m sure the NT students are much easier for you to teach. I’m glad my DS’s FE teachers had more empathy than you.

Watch the long version it explains everything so much better.

There is so much that resonates with me and how my Daughter is.

I cried when I watched it, I showed my Husband and he had tears in his eyes.

It really shows what Children and their families go through while living with Autism.

This was long overdue and it is getting people to notice and hopefully have a bit of understanding.

My inference skills are fine, tvm. I might choose to infer that you are a struggling teacher in a struggling system who wants the best for all their pupils but doesn't know how to achieve it.

I might infer that you're shit at your job.

I might infer that you've adopted a position about young people with autism.

I might infer all sorts of things.

But my DS - who, after all, has autism, not a condition known for excellent inference - might choose to infer that as 'this person clearly can't be arsed with me, thinks I shouldn't be here, and actually hates me.'

My point being I should listen to him.