Just finished The Queen's gambit on Netflix

[Anonymous]

A "real" Beth Harmon was Susan Polgar (yes, I know "The Queen's Gambit" was fiction):
https://forward.com/culture/458742/netflix-the-queens-gambit-beth-harmon-susan-polgar-chess-championship/?utm_source=PostUp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Afternoon%20Newsletter%20(Sunday%20RSS)&utm_maildate=11/19/2020

[Anonymous]

The actress has alien eyes but she sexy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Did you bother to read the link? Because your opinion is just that. There are other valid opinions here that think there was more going on. There is no definitive answer here.

[Anonymous]

FWIW I assumed it was an intentional choice to make Beth have HFA.

[Anonymous]

I kind of thought the producers were hinting at something with her birth mother. She was portrayed as a university professor (I though there was a scene where she had a thesis paper or something math related) but maybe struggling with being a mother / social interaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW I assumed it was an intentional choice to make Beth have HFA.

You guys read a lot into stuff to try and make autism "cool". It’s pretty sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I kind of thought the producers were hinting at something with her birth mother. She was portrayed as a university professor (I though there was a scene where she had a thesis paper or something math related) but maybe struggling with being a mother / social interaction.

+1
I agree. There was a reason they showed the mother’s title on as the author of the book - she had been a prominent mathematics professor at Cornell. I think the genius combined with the mental health issues was passed on genetically to Beth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW I assumed it was an intentional choice to make Beth have HFA.

You guys read a lot into stuff to try and make autism "cool". It’s pretty sad.

DP. I don’t know if you’re the same poster who keeps getting so offended at the thought that Beth was autistic, but it’s getting old. Characters of all types are depicted in film/TV - mentally disabled, physically disabled, geniuses, etc. Why should autism be somehow off-limits?

Here’s a well-written piece about Beth’s possible autism.

The reason I appreciate the autistic mannerisms of Beth Harmon’s character is because they so authentically mimic those of a lot of women on the spectrum. Throughout The Queen’s Gambit we see Beth develop and mature, and funnily enough - her autistic traits become less and less obvious as she grows older. I believe this to directly mirror how women are inherently better at masking autism through societal conditioning. There are several moments in the series where Beth watches those around her as though she’s studying them and before you know it, you almost couldn’t tell there was anything neurodiverse about her at all (other than the glaringly obvious special interest in the form of chess.)

Although some may argue that her initial non verbal demeanor may have been an indication of the trauma she suffered witnessing her mother’s suicide, I would argue that while there are definitely pointers towards trauma (emotional flashbacks, abandonment issues, etc) the key differentiator is context.

Autistic traits outweigh complex trauma in masses. A few examples other than what I mentioned are the way that she responds to coming of age and sexuality. It seems that she recognises through watching her peers that sex is something that everyone is interested in and so she goes against the grain of the times and surprisingly loses her virginity to a random college student, and is unphased by the entire experience. She continues to use sex as a “is this what you wanted?” card with Harry, but it’s soon realised that in the ‘afterglow’ of that moment she quickly resumes her book and is unbothered as to whether or not Harry spends the night in her bed. The boundaries between what is friendship, what is love and what is companionship are blurred. Blurred boundaries in interpersonal relationships aren’t all that is common - so is fluid sexual orientation. Those on the spectrum are less influenced by societal expectations and therefore do tend to be more open about those they engage with on a romantic level - as is proven by research that showed that those on the spectrum are more likely to identify as LGBTQ. This may be a reach on my part considering Beth doesn’t wake up in bed with Chloe - she wakes up in the bath. But if you know, you know.
https://www.dainarenton.co.uk/blog/2020/11/19/the-queens-gambit-autism-amp-addiction

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

Totally agree! It is so trite to want to label a smart + unique girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

Totally agree! It is so trite to want to label a smart + unique girl.

So labeling her as a trauma victim is so different? Why are people acting like autism is a dirty word? Plenty of people are brilliant and on the spectrum. Its obvious Beth is too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

Totally agree! It is so trite to want to label a smart + unique girl.

So labeling her as a trauma victim is so different? Why are people acting like autism is a dirty word? Plenty of people are brilliant and on the spectrum. Its obvious Beth is too.

Not really. She’s able to read emotions and manage social interactions just fine. She just doesn’t give two Fs about dumb people or social norms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

Totally agree! It is so trite to want to label a smart + unique girl.

So labeling her as a trauma victim is so different? Why are people acting like autism is a dirty word? Plenty of people are brilliant and on the spectrum. Its obvious Beth is too.

Not really. She’s able to read emotions and manage social interactions just fine. She just doesn’t give two Fs about dumb people or social norms.

That's how I interpreted it too--she didn't give a F.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those critical of Beth or the actress playing her, this article outlines what may be going on - consider that Beth is autistic. This would explain both the acting and the choices Beth makes and situations she doesn’t totally react as you might think is more believable. I think Anya Taylor-Joy was brilliant.

https://valneil.com/2020/10/30/accidentally-autistic-the-queens-gambit/

No. She is like the way she is because she had a traumatic childhood, is a genius, and battles a drug and alcohol addiction. Why can't girls be brilliant and not be labeled? When she has the chance to go to a normal school, she realizes she doesn't have the right clothes. She immediately picks up those social cues that girls are staring at her ugly clothes. When she has money she buys the most amazing outfits. When she is asked how old she is at the orphanage and is about to say 15, the orphanage director pipes up that she is 13. Beth is socially savvy enough to realize adoptive parents prefer younger kids so she says she is 13. She becomes addicted to tranquilzers before she is 10. The actress who plays Beth actually lived for the first 6 or 7 years in Argentina and then moved to England where she learned English. I think any quirkiness in her speech is due to her pausing for a split second to think in English and speak like and American. It isn't because she is acting like a woman with autism.

Agree. It’s annoying that PPs assume a he’s autistic just because she’s smart and doesn’t like the nitwits in her HS.

Totally agree! It is so trite to want to label a smart + unique girl.

So labeling her as a trauma victim is so different? Why are people acting like autism is a dirty word? Plenty of people are brilliant and on the spectrum. Its obvious Beth is too.

Not really. She’s able to read emotions and manage social interactions just fine. She just doesn’t give two Fs about dumb people or social norms.

That's how I interpreted it too--she didn't give a F.

Does she? Or does she just not know any better? The evidence seems overwhelming. The flat affect, the singular focus (chesss), difficulties with peers, and the addiction issues. HFA is associated with higher rates of addiction.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/518289/