Nyle DiMarco Calls Out 'Sierra Burgess Is A Loser' For Being Offensive To Deaf People

10 September 2018, 17:38

By Sam Prance

This could have so easily been avoided...

The hype for Sierra Burgess Is a Loser was unreal. From the cast to the trailer, it looked like it had all of the makings of a new high school classic. The premise - a coming of age tale in which an unpopular girl Sierra, Shannon Purser) and a popular girl (Veronica, Kristen Froseth) join forces to win over the boys they love - is the stuff of rom-com dreams. Oh and it stars Noah Centineo as Sierra's love interest Jamey.

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However, ever since the film came out on Netflix last Friday, it's received various forms of backlash. First things first viewers weren't sure what to make of a love story that essentially revolves around catfishing (Sierra pretends to be Veronica in a bid to woo Jamey). Then there's the fact that the film contains transphobic and homophobic jokes. And now it's coming under fire for its treatment of deaf people.

In the new teen drama, Noah's character Jamey has a deaf brother (Ty). Ty is played by brilliant deaf actor Cochise Zornoza and, at first, this seems like a pretty inspired casting choice. Deaf people are still rarely portrayed on screen, so this kind of representation is super important. However, in the film, Ty is used as part of a joke and people are not impressed.

Early on in the movie Jamey asks Veronica for her number but she gives him Sierra's instead. Then when Jamey texts Sierra, Sierra pretends to be Veronica in an attempt to start a relationship with Jamey. Later Sierra bumps into Jamey in person and, as an attempt to avoid exposing herself, she pretends to be deaf. To make things even worse Ty is there.

Not only that but Sierra is never even called out in the film for how offensive this behaviour is.

With that in mind, it's more than understandable that people are taking issue with the film.

Famous deaf model Nyle DiMarco took to Twitter to slate the movie in a thread.

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None of this is acceptable.

And Nyle isn't the only one who is disappointed.

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What were the filmmakers thinking?

This kind of plot device can be so harmful.

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Deaf people deserve better representation.

Plus it's not the only thing that Sierra does wrong without consequences.

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She is problematic in many ways.

All of this makes it hard to sympathise with Sierra as a character.

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No comment.

Why is she not forced to confront her wrongdoings?

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This could have been handled so much better.

Ultimately fans think that this, along with a couple of other odd plot choices, ruin an otherwise good film.

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The acting and soundtrack were all on point but these things were not.

As it stands the actors and those behind the film are yet to respond to the backlash.

We shall keep you informed with any updates.