Record TV has decided to censor the sharing of Nadja Pessoa’s autism diagnosis in the Monday evening edition (12/4) of “A Fazenda 15”. The person’s outburst was cut off from the dynamic of the discord.
After Nadja revealed that she suffers from mild autism, diagnosed eight months ago, the topic dominated the conversations of passers-by and the public on social media, to the point that it was necessary to publish a statement against the attacks on the influencer’s official profile ableists. To top it off, Cezar Black flatly called autism a disease, broadcasting misinformation to the reality show audience and perpetuating prejudice against the condition, on the PlayPlus live broadcast.
What happened
Nadja took the stand during Sunday night’s disagreement (12/3) to put into context why the attacks on Jaquelline Grohalski and other pedestrians caused her so much harm. Jaque taught the Crias to make fun of their rival by singing Gêmeas Lacração songs, due to Nadja’s defeat in a vote against Mirella Santos (one of the twins) in the reality show “Ilha Record”.
“It’s something that really saddens me, because it’s connected to the loss of a dog who was my psychological support,” she began, remembering her dog, who died while she was on the reality show.
“For those who don’t know, I have a degree of autism and I found out about it 8 months ago. Everywhere I went, he [o cachorro] he came with me. It was a loss that I still feel to this day and I still struggle with depression because of him,” she explained to Cezar Black, to whom he gave a Sick Chicken (the negative indication of the game).
“There were things from outside that were brought in [de ‘A Fazenda 15’]… There were so many attacks I could have gone and rang the bell. I didn’t do it because this is a psychological game and you have to be psychologically strong,” she commented, adding that she accepted his apology for persecuting her in the first few weeks of the program.
Nadja had only told Lucas
Until then Nadja had only revealed that she was autistic to Lucas Souza, who is no longer detained and also did not attach much importance to knowing the diagnosis. The conversation occurred in early October and was not broadcast by Record. At the time, she spoke about depression and the abusive relationship she was in.
“I have a degree of autism. Very small, but I have it. I suffer from anxiety and depression,” Nadja confessed during the conversation. But she didn’t just talk about autism but she also shared personal experiences related to her mental health.
When Lucas asked her about the severity of the depression, Nadja was emphatic: “Very, very much. Because of a relationship. Before I joined the program, being known, I was diagnosed with depression. And it was because of my marriage. I felt that I was emotionally dependent.” She continued, detailing the dynamics of the abusive relationship she experienced: “And what happens when you become emotionally dependent on someone: the person is dominant and does everything to make you dependent on them. I had to work for him [ex-marido], being a housewife. I was very young and I got lost.”
Repercussions after discord
After the revelation in the discord, Tonzão Chagas commented to the Crias and Radamés Furlan that he finally began to understand Nadja.
“That’s why sometimes he comes out of nowhere and makes some senseless mess. I’ve noticed something like that before. It makes sense, bro,” the funk player said.
“But it’s a mess that doesn’t open,” commented Lily Nobre. “I didn’t know. Nobody knew,” added WL Guimarães, one of those who annoyed the influencer the most.
Cezar Black broadcasts misinformation
Nurse practitioner Cezar Black has become a point of reference in discussions about Nadja’s condition and, this Monday, downplayed the diagnosis, ignoring that autistic people can have a “normal life”, and concluded by calling autism a disease .
“Autism is a very important disease, it has degrees, it can have degrees. However it makes sense for situations where she likes to be isolated,” he began. “She has a normal life, you can’t blame her autism, there are things she is very suspicious of and can even be malicious, she puts you as if you were the agent causing it, but you’re not,” has continued.
Intrigued, Tonzão Chagas asked: “Isn’t it part of the disease? I don’t even know if autism is a disease…”
And Cezar labeled: “Autism is a disease. It’s not a crime to talk about it, it’s not wrong.”
Relatives of autistic people, people on the spectrum and healthcare workers were outraged and protested on social media.
Autism is not a disease
Unlike what Cezar Black “taught” confined people and, by extension, Brazil, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not a disease.
In general, autism is a condition that impairs the ability to communicate and speak. Therefore, people on the spectrum have difficulty perceiving shared events and expressing what they feel or think, as they may have a deficit in social interaction.
Furthermore, another characteristic is restricted and repetitive behavior patterns. Nadja, for example, repeats words when she argues.
But each patient is affected differently, so much so that many people never find out about the disorder and lead a “normal” and independent life. This is because there are different subtypes of the disorder, due to different levels of impairment, which is why the term “spectrum” is used to cover them all.
An information error of this magnitude, in a broadcast with the audience of “A Fazenda”, even if it is a broadcast limited to streaming, would need to be corrected by the production with a specific live correction. But Record has chosen not to take responsibility and to believe that if it wasn’t on TV, it wouldn’t exist.
Official note
Nadja’s team released an official statement after she became the target of ableist attacks on social media. The note also reinforces the fact that autism is not a disease.
“Recently, Nadja courageously shared her autism diagnosis on the reality show ‘A Fazenda’, with the aim of promoting understanding and acceptance, excluding any intention to gain undue advantage, despite some unfounded suggestions,” the text begins.
“It is essential to clarify that autism is not a disease, as erroneously stated by one program participant [Cézar Black] who is a healthcare worker, harming the cause of neurodiversity. Autism is, in fact, a unique manifestation of neurocognitive diversity.
The note concludes: “We are grateful for the understanding and continued support of fans and the general public, underlining that we do not tolerate any form of discrimination. Any manifestations of psychological prejudice will be forwarded to the legal department for appropriate action.”
🔥 Nadja reveals to pedestrians that she has been diagnosed with autism and that her dog has been her psychological support. She emphasizes that she wins the game that she has the strongest psychology.
“It’s something that really bothers me, because it’s linked to the loss of a dog who was my psychological support…. pic.twitter.com/mB4p0kQr6p
— Antennas (@canalantenados) December 3, 2023
Tonzão began to understand some of Nadja’s actions after revealing her autism diagnosis.
Tonzão: “The nonsense that Nadja said today makes sense.”
Radamés: “Today he told me that he has a low level of autism, but that’s how it is.”
Lily: “But it’s a mess he won’t open.”
Tonzao:… pic.twitter.com/HRqlcnz7mi
— Antennas (@canalantenados) December 4, 2023
So you can see that even healthcare workers are not prepared to deal with serious issues like this. That’s why many autistic people suffer in society, due to lack of information, it’s sad to see a nurse talk like that about autism.
— Bad Wolfgang 𓆙 (@wolfgang_coment) December 4, 2023
🚨 | OFFICIAL NOTE pic.twitter.com/afL5dR1LxJ
— Nadja Pessoa 💋 (@nadjapessoa_) December 4, 2023
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
