Autism Is Not A Costume: Sia should’ve cast an autistic actor to play the autistic lead in her new movie ‘Music.’

Two weeks ago the musician and singer Sia released the trailer for her new movie called “Music,” which features a nonspeaking, autistic girl played by a neurotypical actor — Maddie Ziegler. 

At first look, many social media users — including myself — appreciated that the movie is bringing much needed representation to the autism community. But the further into the trailer I got, the more inauthentic and seemingly offensive to autistic people it became.

Though Sia has prided herself on being inclusive and progressive, her response to the constructive feedback of the movie trailer was far from it. 

The YouTube comment section under the video points out the center of the controversy — the fact that this autistic character is played by a non-autistic actor. Additionally, the video includes plenty of bright colors, which can be triggering to some autistic people. 

Ziegler’s acting in the movie makes me overly uncomfortable, as she is seen imitating austistic body language and facial expressions. These body movements can be extremely offensive to autistic people who naturally move in similar ways. 

Not only that, but these autistic movements done by a neurotypical person can be highly triggering to actual autistic people, as it could remind them of neurotypical people in their own lives who have wrongly mocked them. 

There’s no excuse for having Ziegler play the lead, autistic role in this movie when there are so many willing autistic actors at the ready. 

In a tweet in response to the trailer, someone pointed out that there was no effort made to cast an actually autistic person in the movie. They claimed that several autistic actors, including themselves, would’ve acted in it on short notice.

Sia then replied to this person, “Maybe you’re just a bad actor.”

Sia will profit off of this ignorance, while people with autism remain excluded from mainstream jobs and opportunities. As autistic people will be bullied on school playgrounds and mocked for their natural body movements, Maddie Ziegler’s fame will rise.

Sia should’ve, without a doubt, cast an autistic person. Being autistic shouldn’t be used as a joke, and certainly not as a costume.