A South Park episode

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About the one where Butters parents think he is gay, they send him to camp to get him "fixed."

All these boys are there because they are gay or bi curious so the counselors are trying to "fix" them because they wouldn't accept homosexuality and bisexuality. Even the parents wouldn't accept it in their sons so they send them there to "cure" them.


It reminded me about autism about how lot of us feel about people not accepting us so they are trying to "change" us like the parents and the counselors tried to do in the episode about their sexuality.

Then at the end Butters realizes he was not going to put up with it and tells everyone who he is and he is "normal" and everyone listens and they accept who all the boys are and Butters parents accept who he is even though Butters is clueless what his parents thought of him.


Did this episode remind anyone about their experience with having autism?


Note: I doubt lot of them were actually gay or bi curious. They were just fed crap by the counselors just like Butters was. Then he decided he was not going to be told what he is and he was fine before everyone started telling him he was "confused" but now believes he is bi because he was told so.

Hmm, I never thought about it that way... when I saw that episode, I didn't relate it specifically to Autism, but I definitely saw it as more of a general thing, like how society tends to force us into standard molds - Autism definitely falls into this category, and I can relate to how Butters' speech at the end promotes individuality. It's similar to the struggle I've been having with normalcy for the past fifteen years, and when I decided to just be myself.

I wonder how Matt and Trey feel about this whole Neurodiversity movement, if they're aware of it? That could make for a potentially interesting episode, even if they snuck some of the ideas in here and there. It isn't really their style, but it would be interesting to see if they could pull it off in a way that's true to South Park's mockery without offending our cause. If this were to happen, I think a lot of awareness would be gained. I don't know if the writers behind South Park would do such a thing, but maybe...?

Interesting. Where is Tim Tex for this one?

I've had a similar thought on X-men. I know it's been mentioned a million times before, the alienation from the world, right? No, I mean on the personal level, the family level. The "mutant" I thought had the most to do with how I felt about the situation was the dude with the "angel wings," never good enough, and always under pressure to "hide," especially from his dad. I have a feeling this is similar to the way Butter's felt, the "not good enough" feeling that comes from parents.

SG, pardon if that was a little bit off the topic.
I've seen the episode, but can't recall the details.

I just watched the episode on my DVD and it dawned on me, it reminded me about how lot of us feel about people not accepting us and wanting to "cure" us or "fix" us. I see that a lot in the autism community about how they don't get accepted, how people want them to change, etc.

Huh, I never thought about it that way. It was a good episode, though, to say the least.

I can't say that I have had a comparable experience.

(You didn't really think I would pass up this thread, did you?)

I don't think it really compares, especially seeing as that not everyone with Autism actually wants ''acceptance'' over a cure.

But I've never watched the show. I'd rather slowly cut off my limbs with a rusty kitchen knife then gouge out my own eyes than watch South Park.

You are definitely on to something. How everybody's nagging about you(me) have to get things done, or whatever, way back to the school days, homework..etc. I simply can't get things done before my mind is set for it. It's as easy as that. Also I don't want to follow the mainstream, cause it's totally wrong. But society has this desease, they have to label everything and what they can't understand, accept, change or treat, they put in the hopeless box, and history shows what road that may lead to. Anyone believe that Hitler had been satisfied if he could exterminate the prime targets for his hate? I don't believe so. If he had his way he'd probably ended up alone on this planet.
These things goes for religion, politics, sexuality or whatever. Once you're not in the main frame, they allways try to change you into the correct reality as defined by them
But who can really tell what's reality or heaven from hell? It beats me, really does!