Can we please take a moment to talk about Gabe and ablism

Just context around me as an individual and where my perspective come from: I’m autistic, my work life (when Im able to have one) is always centred around people with autism, intellectual disabilities or people with physical disabilities. All this to be said because not only am I disabled myself but my work means I’ve had many years of experience working with Disabled people.

It’s absolutely not okay to speculate on Gabes disability or condition but his presentation is consistent with someone who has an intellectual disability or autism. Gabe is a vulnerable adult who is very susceptible to manipulation, I know how this feels and it can very quickly put disabled people in danger.

I really lost it with Ethan after I saw that clip of him *almost saying the R word on leftover and I was just like???? Really man??? HE NOWS BETTER WHY IS THAT IN HIS VOCABULARY. It’s so frustrating to see how can anyone defend his use of slurs “it’s in the past” when he went to say a slur like it was muscle memory?

They treat Gabe like a complete puppet and a locow, when I see clips of Gabe and the crew laughing, it’s not at him making a joke or intentionally being funny, they’re laughing at HIM. I remember seeing a clip of Gabe ordering fast food and Ethan is literally pushing Gabe to be socially inappropriate in public, does Ethan have any sense? Does he not understand the very real consequences of that? Does he not understand the danger that could put Gabe in?

Ethan is literally like a school bully who pretends to befriend the weird kid but is actually just making fun of him the whole time and being like “hay Gabe say poppy but hole dick fuck” it’s so vile and the fact it STILL HAPPENS IN 2024. It really makes my blood boil to see Gabe be exploited in this way, I also can’t help but think, does he Get paid for his time on the show?

I’ve been in positions myself where you’re unaware of your own exploitation and you don’t understand why people are just laughing at you for taking and being yourself. You don’t see it in the moment but that violation stays with you. And all of this is completely proven by the fact Ethan doesn’t even go to his birthday party? Like he’s got anything better to do.

Out of all the bigotry, the ablism is the oldest sibling silently suffering.

Ps. I think I want to compile moments of them manipulating Gabe and feeding him things to say. Clippers???