Amy Schumer hasn't shied away from addressing her husband's Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (why would she, tbh?). So when an internet troll tried to speak negatively of the condition and the "possible" link to her three-month-old baby, Schumer went full-on mama bear.
Four days ago, Schumer posted a photo of her her son, Gene Attell Fischer, on Instagram, and wrote in her caption, “Would anyone be interested in seeing a docu series of my pregnancy and birth?” Dozens of fans shared their excitement over the idea, but (of course) in classic internet fashion, there were a few who had less-than-kind things to say to the comedian. Ugh.
“Not, really, honestly. I think you're great, I just feel like it's self serving and overdone,” one person commented. “I'd like to see a documentary of you discovering your mate is diagnosed with autism and how you cope with the possibility that your child will be on the spectrum…”
Schumer was clearly not having the negativity, and had a problem with the commenter’s use of the word “cope.”
"How I cope? I don't see being on the spectrum as a negative thing," she said. "My husband is my favorite person I've ever met. He's kind, hilarious, interesting and talented and I admire him. Am I supposed to hope my son isn't like that?"
Amy went on to say that she'll pay attention to her son's development, you know, as all moms do, and tackle any challenges that come up. "I will pay attention and try and provide him with the tools he needs to overcome whatever challenges come up like all parents," she wrote. "I'd be disappointed if he liked the Big Bang theory and nascar not if he has ASD." Mic-freaking-drop.
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Schumer opened up about Fischer’s condition during her Netflix special Amy Schumer: Growing, which premiered in March 2019.
"I knew from the beginning that my husband's brain was a little different than mine," Schumer said in her stand-up routine. “My husband was diagnosed with what used to be called Asperger's. He has autism spectrum disorder. He's on the spectrum. And there were some signs early on."
After he was diagnosed, she continues, she realized “all of the characteristics that make it clear that he's on the spectrum are all of the reasons that I fell madly in love with him…He says whatever is on his mind. He keeps it so real. He doesn't care about social norms or what you expect him to say or do."
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Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate, and affects more than 3.5 million Americans in some way, per the Autism Society of America (ASA).
“People with [ASD] often have difficulties with social situations and can have a hard time recognizing facial expressions and body language,” Anne Nebeker, source specialist and spokesperson for the ASA previously told Health. “Many of these people also have very specific interests and rigid schedules they like to adhere to.” ASD can also make social interactions more difficult, like issues making eye contact while speaking, trouble understanding sarcasm, and showing a lack of empathy, says Nebeker.
And as for Instagram troll's comment about how Schumer will 'cope with the possibility that [her] child will be on the spectrum'? While ASD is linked to gene mutations—over 1,000 genes have been linked to ASD, per the Genetics Home Reference (GHR), a division of the National Institutes of Health—a large number have not been confirmed, and not all people with the gene variations will even develop ASD.
In fact, most gene variations only have a small effect on developing ASD, and other risks, including environmental factors, parental age, birth complications, and other unidentified factors contribute to ASD development. Non-genetic factors may contribute up to about 40 percent of ASD risk, per the GHR.
Regardless, props to Schumer for calling out that rude commenter for her flawed way of thinking. And FWIW, Schumer's idea for a docuseries on her birth story sounds like Netflix gold, even if she is just kidding—hit her up, guys.
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