Earlier, Amanda Seales called out Shannon Sharpe for “interrogating” her with “absolutely zero love” for her when she told him that she had “recently diagnosed” with autism.
But now she’s clarifying her claim on being on the autism spectrum on social media after some fans called her out on being sneaky with answers on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast.
During a recent interview, Amanda Seales shared her experiences of being ridiculed and criticized for her vocal activism in the Black community with the 55-year-old retired NFL star.
She disclosed that she was autistic during the conversation. Amanda Seales had to clarify after Shannon Sharpe seemed to doubt her diagnosis.
On Thursday night, the comedian took to Instagram to talk about how the Black media and Shannon Sharpe responded to her recent diagnosis of autism.
The “Insecure” actress specifically criticized how the Club Shay Shay was conducted.
“Shannon: But have you been clinically diagnosed? Me: Yes. There is a clinical diagnosis of autism. He then hung his head and exhaled in frustration because I did not answer his question,” Seales reiterated their conversation from the interview on her IG Story.
“That is called deflection,” she explained of her response to him. “Why? Because I was not going to be pressured by this man who was interrogating me with absolutely zero love for me into proving something to him that L. By his line of questioning, he had already committed to undermining.
She added, “I understand my response may be confusing to some, but I am clarifying it, as I did in my Live. And that is enough.”
In the live video, the 42-year-old blasted critics, saying that”M” autism diagnosis is not for you to discuss; it’s not for you to debate.”
“People are so conditioned in this nation to view something in only one kind of way. No, I have not been clinically diagnosed by a doctor because I’m not paying $10,000 to do that. Most people will tell you that at this age, you don’t need a clinical diagnosis.”
An entire episode of Daniel Jones’ YouTube show, The Aspie World, focused on how Black women and girls are marginalized in the conversation about autism. In April 2021, Holly Robinson Pete, Shawn Stockman, and Toni Braxton—celebrities who support autism research—discussed the issue on Seales’ podcast Small Doses. April is Autism Awareness Month.
As the word gets out and awareness is increased, it is essential to include Black women’s and girls’ experiences in efforts to learn more about the spectrum. Scholars and advocates are arguing for their inclusion in various contexts.
