Heather Eliminated From America's Next Top Model
Thursday November 29, 2007
A couple of months ago, I wrote about Top Model contestant Heather suffering from Asperger Syndrome and I wondered if her disability would affect her performance in the competition. After watching Heather's final episode on Top Model, I have my answer -- yes, Asperger Syndrome did lead to Heather's elimination. Even though she's amazing in photos, the judges could no longer ignore her awkwardness and her difficulty dealing with high pressure situations. Read about Heather's problems during this season's "Go See" challenge and find out why the inspiring contestant was eliminated.
Read Top Model Recap -- Heather Eliminated.
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Comments
You say she is SUFFERING from Aspergers? Does she look like she is SUFFERING? It’s actually the PUBLIC that is suffering (of ignorance). I have two granchildren with PDD and Autism. They don’t suffer. They enjoy life as everyone does, just a little different, which results in comments of ignorance. What more could I expect… even teachers don’t even superficially understand Autism. I think Heather was great. She should have beat out the girl with the sarcastic attitude. I hope she goes on and gets offers. So she failed the go-see. Her pictures were great. If she was a model, she could afford someone to help her with this one aspect. The other models were not nice to her (to put it mildly). I have stopped recording this show, and will not watch it again if this is how superficial they are.
I agree with Sandi! Heather should have won. She had the best photo’s out of all the top models. So what about her go see…in real life, you could have a guide or friend with you to get you where you need to be on time! The chick that one, was nasty from the get go, but seems everyone forgot her comment about Heather when they were doing their first shoot of second hand smoke…she allowed personalities to get in her way!
If Sandi doesn’t think that occasionally her grand children’s differences cause them suffering, she’s an idiot. One of my foster brothers is a completely cool kid, and he also has Aspergers. Does it not occur to you that the reason Heather had such a difficult time with the challenge is because of what you refer to as “Enjoying life as everyone does, just a little different” (which is contradictory, by the way).
Heather is exceptional, she’s a beautiful woman, and just from watching my brother’s behavior I could see how overwhelming it must have been for her at Go See’s in China. I don’t disagree that she should have won, especially given how well she coped with her differences in a situation that must have been SO uncomfortable.
I’m glad you made the points you did, Amanda. I know some with Asperger’s and other Autism Spectrum disorders would be relieved to have someone describe them as sufferers, as in adults like Heather the problem is easily overlooked by peers as merely a lack of interpersonal skills. Sandi seems very angry at teachers too, and while I appreciate that a lack of understanding is very frustrating, teachers have a group of 25 students who all have unique problems, qualities and requirements, and it’s very hard for them to provide the care necessary without adequate support from teachers’ assistants, counsellors and speech pathologists. However, I did agree with Sandi’s observation that the girls were unkind to her. I think they are unkind to each other generally, but Heather was especially vicitimised, and it was really sickening to watch. I won’t be watching Top Model again. Sandi, I have a commonly misunderstood neurological problem myself, and I understand how advocating for yourself and others can make you very aggressive, but please remember that when you angrily dismiss the public as ignorant, you are not helping to bridge the gap. Latoya has sympathetically drawn attention to an issue that may have had a factor in Heather’s elimination. Let’s not jump down her throat for drawing attention to an important issue simply because we object to her wording!