Everybody Hates Amanda?

Now that I have your attention, let’s have an honest conversation…

Earlier this week, actress and activist, Amanda Seales did an interview with Shannon Sharpe (see video below). I thought it was a good interview and I resonated with a lot of the information that she shared. Honestly, I like Amanda…I like her as an actress and also as an activist. However, I noticed when she started to speak out against Israel and in support of Palestine, Black media outlets begin to release negative press about her, including articles stating she is difficult to work with.

I was happy to see her on Shannon Sharpe’s show because in the past, he has allowed his guest to just talk without little interference on his part. I also think he doesn’t say much because he can’t interview to say his life, but I digress. But his “interview” with Amanda was different. Sharpe negated all of her experiences for at least the first hour, often siding with the white person in her stories of racism, and trying to blame her instead. He played the devil’s advocate, something I haven’t seen him do with other guests, and at one point I thought she was going to get up and leave. Instead, Amanda reminded him several times that this was HER experiences and she was sharing how SHE felt in these moments.

Well as Amanda set forth to continue to share her side of the story, she opened up about being neurodivergent and on the Autism spectrum. Sharpe asked if she had ever been clinically diagnosed, which honestly - I found to be odd. Why would you ask someone this during an interview? Like you just nod your head and ask questions about how it has been since learning of your diagnosis, and how have you learned to adapt. Well when he asked Amanda, she responded with, “Yes, there is a clinical diagnosis.” Amanda later shared during an Instagram live that she self diagnosed, that this is acceptable in the Austim’s community, and that during her interview with Sharpe she also did a deep dive into Autism and why many Black neurodivergent people often self diagnose. Amanda went on to share that this part of her interview was edited out.

I would also like to add that a large part of the testing done by psychologists includes self disclosure and family observation.

Well Baller Alert, a gossip website shared that Seales lied about her diagnosis because she wasn’t clinically diagnosed, and instead of people doing their own research about Autism (because those of us who are neurodivergent know that self diagnosis is accepted in this community, and that it is often the first step in identifying there is an issue, before we seek out formal medical help), they became fake outraged and went on a smear campaign.

Oddly, the people who were so upset about Amanda self diagnosing look like me, yes Black people. I did not see one negative comment from any other group - just us.

Some of the negative comments included:

“Leave it to her to even annoy the newfound supporters she’s gained. In 24 hours. The girl’s middle name is Self Sabotage.”

“All day a panel of online professionals has assured me this is the most irresponsible thing that has ever happened in Black history…”

“She’s an evil narcissists who lied about having autism.”

“She lied about having autism as a way to avoid being accountable for her horrible actions.” Note…they did not say what the ‘horrible’ actions were.”

I spoke up for Amanda because actually, she didn’t do anything wrong. Health inequality is rampant in the Black community. Black women are often not believed when they present concerning symptoms to physicians, and we often have to do the research ourselves and seek out resources that will help us. The same goes for those of us who are neurodivergent. Many have self diagnosed, which is actually acceptable in this community.

Having a medical diagnosis of Autism is beneficial if you are trying to receive 504 accommodations in an academic setting, receive disability benefits, or tap into resources. Getting a medical diagnosis also means you either have damn good health insurance that will cover the intensive testing, or you can pay out of pocket.

In addition to my late son being diagnosed on the Autism spectrum at the age of 20 (this came after YEARS of mental health professionals ignoring us), I have several family members who fall somewhere within the three levels of Autism. So I am not talking out the side of my neck. Each of their diagnosis came because of self awareness or observations from their parents, not a medical professional pointing out that something was wrong. That’s not how the healthcare system works for Black folk.

It also floored me that Black people assumed because Amanda was on the show, Insecure that she currently has money and/or health insurance that will cover extensive testing. The ASSumptions were wild AF, and it only confirmed that some people are hella naive about economics and the impact streaming has had on these actors receiving royalties after the filming of a show ends. Amanda has also been transparent and shared her $1.00 royalty checks from Insecure on social media.

Another point I’d like to make is how Amanda talks about Autism at the beginning of her interview, yet the interview is 3 hours long and people failed to grasp anything else. And trust me…she dropped some gems, which included three prominent themes: racism, not being protected, and being misunderstood. Black women…do these sound familiar? Unfortunately, social media did not disappoint as our people attempted to rip her to shreds based on half truths, heavily edited clips, and misinformation about a diagnosis that is all over Google.

It saddens me how some people will run with a negative narrative simply for clicks and likes on social media, and those that follow them will not take out 2 minutes and do a little research before jumping on the hate bandwagon. Everyone who called Amanda a liar clearly does not have a clue about Autism, nor do they realize that inequality exists within the healthcare system, which is why many Blacks self-diagnose before seeking help from medical professionals.

The other part of this narrative is proving what I’ve been saying all along about Black women and societal trauma. If we are intelligent, speak up for yourselves and others, and show any sign of confidence, society reprimands us. Instead of highlighting our positives attributes, we are labeled as angry, difficult to work with, or combative.

In closing, there were a lot of people who came to Amanda’s defense - many who are neurodivergent or have children on the Autism spectrum. But the supporter who resonated with me the most on X (formerly known as Twitter), summed up the negative discourse with these words:

“It’s ok to self diagnose unless you’re disliked, and a Black woman who isn’t a doormat and isn’t afraid to challenge people = insufferable.”

Dr. Carey Yazeed is a Behavioral Scientist and the creator of Unbreak My Soul: How Black Women Can Begin To Heal From Workplace Trauma workbook.