"Sensory-Friendly Films" sounds pretty good, right? Haven't heard about it yet? It's a project of the Autism Society and AMC Entertainment designed to (quoting the Autism Society's website) "...bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the 'Sensory Friendly Films' program."

What does this all mean? The lights are left up (so a dark theater isn't frightening), the movie sound is lower (so it doesn't hurt one's ears), families can bring their own snacks, no previews are shown, and (again, according to the ASA website), "...audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing—in other words, AMC’s 'Silence is Golden' policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is questioned."

Stories in a couple of different newspapers (click here to see one of these articles) reveal that parents of children with autism and other disabilities love this idea; they say it enables them to take their children to the movies. According to the article in the Twin Cities Times, during one of these sensory-friendly films, "Children spin in circles on the floor in front of the movie screen. A preschooler clutching a blanket launches himself over seat after seat, sometimes landing in a stranger's lap. Another viewer makes low, gutteral noises throughout the film."

There's no doubt this new program may result in making many famlies happy, but what about other outcomes, including negative and unintended consequences?

Is the child who "launches himself over seat after seat" learning that this is acceptable behavior? It apparently is "okay" in this environment, but is the child also learning this behavior is okay in other places?  What will happen if/when he does something similar in a different setting? Will he be punished then? How will he know what's okay in which environment? How cruel to send the child mixed messages! (And I guess the question must be asked: if a child is busy spinning or crawling over the seats, is he even watching the movie? Did the child really want to go to the theater to see the movie or did the parents?)

Segregating people with disabilities in special, separate environments has been the norm for generations, and there are no good outcomes for segregation. Children who grow up in segregated settings do not learn how to be successful in ordinary, inclusive environments—in other words, in the Real World. Thus, many of today's adults with disabilities remain in segregated settings (residential facilities, day programs, etc.) because, as children, they were never given opportunities to learn how to "be" in ordinary, inclusive environments. So they're essentially "punished" for the rest of their lives—forced to remain segregated—through no fault of their own! How does attending a segregated activity like a sensory-friendly film showing help a child learn how to live in the Real World?

What about the other children in the family? Do they want to attend a "special" film or are they dragged along by their parents? How does this make them feel toward the brother/sister who has the disability?

What do the people who work at the 110 AMC theaters (and the program is expanding) think about children with autism and other disabilities, based on what they observe during a sensory-friendly film showing? We know many people have negative attitudes toward people with disabilities—prejudice and discrimination are still rampant. Aborting babies with Down syndrome is common; public service announcements about the "epidemic" of autism makes parents fearful they might have a child "like that;" and there's more. So at a time when many people are working hard to eliminate these attitudinal barriers, what are the employees of theaters learning from the sensory-friendly film project? They might be thinking, "I hope I never have a child like that!" And some might think, "Those poor parents...having to put up with kids like that." Is this helping us move forward in attitudes and perceptions? No, it's taking us backwards!

In my books, articles, presentations, and on this site, I routinely criticize Disability World—the artificial world we've created of "special," segregation, and services, that devalues and marginalizes people with disabilities and separates them from the mainstream of society. It's bad enough that most of the services designed for people with disabilities generate segregation, but what's to be made when the actions of disability organizations and parents contribute to more segregation? If people with disabilities don't have their own families and the organizations that purport to represent them on their side, who do they have?

Back to attending movies...As I mentioned in the commentary on Morgan's Wonderland, the world is not a perfect place for anyone! There are some theaters, restaurants, malls, theme parks, etc. that don't work for me or my husband, for a variety of reasons, so we find the ones that do work. There are some places that don't work for my son, Benjamin, because he uses a wheelchair and/or for other reasons, so we find the ones that do work.

When Benjamin was younger, he was very "sensory-sensitive"—loud noises, bright lights, too much activity around him, and other conditions often had a very negative impact on him. Once we were aware of this, we made different choices about where to go, when to go, etc. Over time, things changed and the situation improved, either because Benjamin adapted or his nervous system matured or who knows why? Today, at 23, he still loves to go to the movies. But most movie theaters are not very welcoming places for  people who use wheelchairs. In some theaters, the wheelchair accessible seating is in the front row—ready for a neck ache and want to miss most of the movie? It's hard to see the full screen when you're so close! So we do not go to those theaters. Instead, we choose to go to the movie houses where several rows, throughout the seating area, have one or two fewer seats, leaving a space for a wheelchair on the end of the row. We also choose to attend showings that aren't so crowded—like a weekday afternoon matinee.

I hope parents who like the segregated movie showings will consider the potential negative consequences and make different choices. Why not go to theaters when they're less crowded and choose seats that work best (in the back if the child is a little noisy or close to the door for a quick exit or whatever works)? They can take their own snacks. I see people without disabilities doing this all the time! When we go to the movies, we buy one large popcorn and split it between the three of us, in the two bowls we bring from home (hubby gets the theater container, Benj and I get the bowls). If the audio volume of a movie is too loud, a child can try wearing ear plugs or ear muffs to muffle the sound. If the dark is scary, the child could carry a small flashlight. What other strategies could be tried?

If, for whatever reason, going to the theater to watch a movie just won't work, families can watch the movie at home! Lots of people who do not have disabilities never go to movie theaters anymore—they choose to rent/stream movies on their big-screen TVs, save money, enjoy their own snacks, and lounge in their PJs during the film. What's the real goal? To "go to the theater" or "enjoy a good movie together"?

Our actions have consequences. I am not trying to be a big meanie and criticize parents of children with disabilities who want to enjoy the same things as other famlies, like going to a movie together. But promoting, supporting, and/or participating in a "special," segregated activity can have negative consequences for the child with a disability, the family, and our society. We can do better.

(See a variety of articles on inclusion, including "What Approach Should I Take for My Child with Autism" on the Explore/Children-Families-Education page.)

July 10, 2010—©Kathie Snow, www.disabilityisnatural.com, All Rights Reserved