Australian singer-songwriter Sia Furler revealed she was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
During her appearance on Rob Has a Podcast, the 47-year-old told Survivor 44 finalist Carolyn Wiger she was autistic and was "in recovery."
"Being in recovery and knowing about which neuroatypicality you may have or may not have, I think one of the greatest things is nobody can ever know you and love you when you're filled with secrets and living in shame," Furler said.
Sia and Autism
During the podcast, Sia explained how she had to "go put [her] human suit on" for the last 45 years of her life, indicating her alleged diagnosis came only two years ago.
"[O]nly in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself," she added.
Autistic individuals call the practice of hiding their autistic identity "masking."
In the reality show "Survivor," Wiger admitted her struggles with social anxiety and addiction, something the "Chandelier" singer, herself a fan of the show, resonated with.
Furler found Wiger's openness and vulnerability "inspiring."
"The kook in me recognizes the kook in you," she told Wiger.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), ASD is a lifelong "complex developmental condition involving persistent challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior."
While autism provides a broad spectrum of pervasive traits and challenges, the degree of impairment in functioning because of them varies between autistic individuals.
Backlash Against "Music"
Sia's revelation that she was autistic came over two years after her controversial film "Music," where she was the producer and director.
The singer cast Dance Moms alumna Maddie Ziegler, a neurotypical actress, to portray an autistic girl instead of an autistic actor.
In response to the film, autistic individuals and disability rights groups heavily criticized Furler for allegedly grooming Ziegler as well as choosing her for the title role.
Ziegler was underage during the time "Music" was filmed.
The majority of the backlash happened on Twitter, with Sia insisting her "heart has always been in the right place" for the cinematic decisions she made.
One particular note of criticism delves into the use of so-called "calming restraint" on Music when she was experiencing a meltdown.
"The autistic community has been fighting for decades to end the use of restraints that traumatize and kill," said Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) director of advocacy Zeo Gross.
In 2022, Furler deleted her Twitter account and told the New York Times she was having suicidal ideations, relapsed on her substance abuse issues, and "went to rehab" in the wake of the criticism made by the autistic community.
Meanwhile, autistic actress and disability activist Chloe Hayden channeled her anger towards Sia in the wake of the Twitter storm regarding "Music" through a speaking line in the 2022 Netflix reboot of the 1990s Australian rom-com series "Heartbreak High."
During a scene in its pilot season, the autistic main character Quinni Gallagher-Jones (played by Hayden) admitted she was autistic to her lesbian partner Sasha So (Gemma Chua-Tran), who could not believe what Quinni told her.
In response, Quinni said, "Okay, Sia."
Hayden went on to publish her book "Different, Not Less," which was based on her experiences as an autistic teenager.
Autistic Community: Sia's Autism Not an Excuse for "Music"
People on Twitter claim Furler was still responsible for doing more harm than good to the autistic community because of "Music."
"It also doesn't absolve her of her...movie and bullying autistic people when she was told how harmful her movie would be," tweeted a certain @RoseNyborg. "We were right."
Autistic author and media consultant Diane J. Wright added Sia's announcement of her autism was "not an excuse for atrocious, ableist, harmful-to-an-entire-community behavior," especially for personalities like her.
