'Finding Dory': Was The Character Of Gerald Placed There For The Purpose of Mocking Autism?

"Finding Dory" made an estimate of a whopping $135 million on its opening weekend. However, there is one new character that had some people disgusted, especially on how the other characters would treat this one particular character's disability in the movie. Gerald the sea lion.

According to Zap2it.com, Gerald was not able to get any hero treatment in some of the scenes. Gerald's character, is voiced by Torbin Xan Bullock, obviously depicts the characteristic of someone on the autism spectrum in the form of diminished cognitive function. He has a vacant expression to things. He doesn't think or move like the other two sea lions, and they would always brush him aside.

Gerald is being tricked and mocked by the other two sea lions in the movie. You can even see it in the trailer. It seems the other two depicts the characteristics of how a bully would act in real life.

This is Gerald, sea lion who reads as intellectually disabled in Finding Dory. He gets bullied in movie for laughs. pic.twitter.com/wecbQE3iZ2

— Elizabeth Picciuto (@epicciuto) June 19, 2016

Just saw Finding Dory!It was amazing except for the Sea Lions that appeared to bully the Sea Lion that was different from them.#FindingDory

— Kasey McCall (@CarelessPickle) June 17, 2016

As for Dory, voiced by Elen Degeneres, Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks), these three characters' are usually on an adventure of meeting characters that have some disability themselves. The thing though is, they seem to overcome and use their disabilities to their advantage through the progression of the movie. It was the audiences however, that noticed and pointed outright the treatment of the other characters to the mentally disabled Gerald. The audiences were also able to pick the idea that the movie is supposedly about disabilities, which is a great venue to evoke awareness to others. However there seems to be two particular tactless character that was placed there just to win the laughs of others.

i just saw Finding Dory. honestly the shit the writers pulled with 'Gerald' the sea lion was irresponsible and unacceptable — leaf puppy (@n_vermind) June 18, 2016

While the producers of "Finding Dory" have not yet made any statement regarding the treatment of Gerald, so far, the reception for the movie has been positive. However, some of the audience would be interested to hear their take on the bully behavior of the two sea lions towards Gerald's disability.