This week Pip Brown, aka Ladyhawke, revealed that she had Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of autism. She said that she'd only been diagnosed with the condition a couple of years ago, and it sort of explains why her live shows can be so erratic.
She said: "People shouldn't be scared of it or anything. Some people don't even realise that they have it. I went through my whole life not knowing until only a few years ago, when it was just doing my head in and I had to get help.
"I only have a very mild form of it and there are some people who have it so bad that they find it too hard to even write a message to me - I love that I've been able to talk to people and be able to relate (to them) like that."
"I have real moments, quite often in soundcheck, when I just don't feel like I can perform. I don't feel like I can sing. I have these voices in my head telling me that I suck and I can't do it. There's one side of me saying suck it up and do it. And there's another side that says everybody's looking at you and they're judging you."
I think it's brilliant that she's been able to open up about it to try and raise awareness but since she's only really a little artist in comparison to what most people are into, I actually doubt how much of an impact this is going to have. While it does clear up a lot of the grey areas around Pip's performances and she makes a good point about the syndrome, not enough people will be listening. Of course I have and since I always found Pip to be a pretty nice young woman I was a bit shocked to hear that she has the condition. But then, this is exactly what she's trying to say - too many people are ignorant of the condition and don't really know what it's about. In 2004, Craig Nicholls, frontman with The Vines, was also diagnosed with the condition but yet it hasn't stopped him from getting on with life either.
Pip points out that there are many people who ave it worse than her, and I suppose if you want to see a comical version of this then you can look at Jerry in law firm comedy Boston Legal. But even he is quite cuddly and has a heart of gold.
Now if only someone like Kanye West or one of Girls Aloud would come out and say that they have the condition - that might get some more people thinking....
Wonderful post! I work with children with disabilities and am often surprised by certain traits I see in the "general population." What I think people forget is that we all have these traits but for people within the autism spectrum, it is simply more pronounced. Did you happen to see the episode of Grey's Anatomy when they brought in a doctor with Asperger's? I was so frustrated that doctor's would treat her as if she was just "too weird." I forget sometimes that real doctors aren't writing the show! :))
ReplyDeleteInteresting! When we get right down to it, autism is just another way of relating to the world. I'm glad this performer is being so straightforward about it. I didn't know the Vines singer was diagnosed as well.
ReplyDeleteHey Tonya, sorry but I don't watch Grey's Anantomy... all a little bit soppy for me! Still, I think that the way some of the clients and lesser characters in Boston Legal treat Jerry is pretty shocking. He's pretty sweet and has a heart of gold - all that's holding him back from others is the condition! How shocking is that?!
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