{"id":166448,"date":"2025-05-05T17:36:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T17:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/05\/demi-burnett-masked-autism-with-alcohol-on-the-bachelor\/"},"modified":"2025-05-05T17:36:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T17:36:48","slug":"demi-burnett-masked-autism-with-alcohol-on-the-bachelor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/05\/demi-burnett-masked-autism-with-alcohol-on-the-bachelor\/","title":{"rendered":"Demi Burnett Masked Autism With Alcohol on &#8216;The Bachelor&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Demi Burnett revealed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2022\/02\/demi-burnett-reveals-autism-diagnosis-please-be-open-minded-and\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">she is autistic<\/a>, surprising some fans in the process.<\/p>\n<p>She is now opening up about how some questioned why she seemed <em>different<\/em> while filming reality television.<\/p>\n<p>Demi, like millions of others, masks her autism in various situations.<\/p>\n<p>One tool for masking is alcohol. It\u2019s common at social gatherings. And, for Demi, it helped her engage on <em>The Bachelor<\/em> even years before she knew that she was on the spectrum.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett announces her return.\" class=\"wp-image-524840 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_01.png\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Each time that Demi Burnett showed up on \u2018The Bachelor,\u2019 she was an absolute delight.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Image Credit: ABC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-demi-burnett-received-support-but-also-backlash-for-being-autistic\">Demi Burnett received support (but also backlash) for being autistic<\/h2>\n<p>In a <em>People <\/em>interview <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/why-demi-burnett-drank-copious-amounts-alcohol-on-the-bachelor-exclusive-11726585\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">published<\/a> on Sunday, May 4, Demi Burnett shared the public reaction to her autism diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLots of support on Instagram,\u201d she began her answer. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut then on TikTok I get all the comments of people being like, \u2018You weren\u2019t like this on <em>The Bachelor<\/em>. You really switched it up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While many of them were likely being hostile and contentious on purpose, Demi does not necessarily disagree.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Demi Struggles with Showing Affection - Bachelor in Paradise\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MqbcKd9El78?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAnd I think that they are right in saying that,\u201d Demi observed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was consuming copious amounts of alcohol during <em>The Bachelor<\/em>,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo,\u201d Demi pointed out, \u201cit should be a great example of seeing how someone can use alcohol to mask.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett wears an open bathrobe.\" class=\"wp-image-524841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett wears an open bathrobe.\" class=\"wp-image-524841 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_03.png\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On \u2018The Bachelor,\u2019 Demi Burnett left other contestants feeling threatened after she made a bold move.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Image Credit: ABC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-masking\">What is masking?<\/h2>\n<p>When autistic people describe masking, they are describing the behaviors that they have adopted to appear neurotypical \u2014 or at least, more neurotypical than they are. <\/p>\n<p>This can be for social acceptance, professional security, or simply out of habit. <\/p>\n<p>In Demi\u2019s case, it was because she was filming a reality show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so clearly someone putting on a show than now when I\u2019m being vulnerable and open and raw and real and uncomfortable with all of it,\u201d Demi commented. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow it\u2019s seen as putting on an act. It\u2019s ironic. You can\u2019t help but laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett gets serious.\" class=\"wp-image-524843\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett gets serious.\" class=\"wp-image-524843 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_04.png\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">During a special appearance, Demi Burnett opens up about struggling to show affection.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Image Credit: ABC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Demi also observed that reality television \u201cis great for neurodivergent people.\u201d And she explained why.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone thinks no autistic person can ever do a reality show,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n<p>Demi continued: <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018You have no idea how much an autistic person could thrive actually in that environment because they get support for the first time in their lives.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Reality TV star Demi Burnett among growing number of adults living with autism | NTL\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3pYjiY7fGog?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-having-an-active-support-system-even-for-reality-tv-was-eye-opening\">Having an active support system, even for reality TV, was eye-opening<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cGetting all that support on <em>The Bachelor<\/em>, it was the greatest,\u201d Demi raved. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have never been more supported in my life than I am on reality TV.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She continued: \u201cYou have people waiting on you hand and foot to get anything you ever need.\u201d That <em>does <\/em>sound nice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReality TV producers are literally the most support you could ever get,\u201d Demi recalled. \u201cI was sobbing when I had to leave, and it wasn\u2019t for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/09\/colton-underwood-welcomes-first-child-meet-baby-bishop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colton<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett with a graphic explaining that she is from &quot;Colton's Season.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-524842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Demi Burnett with a graphic explaining that she is from &quot;Colton's Season.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-524842 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-728x410.png 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-960x540.png 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1080x608.png 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0505_demiburnett_02.png\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Not all \u2018The Bachelor\u2019 fans know who Demi Burnett is. But they should!<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Image Credit: ABC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Demi is doing a good thing by sharing that she is on the autistic spectrum. She broke the news of her diagnosis back in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>This is a particularly frightening time to be autistic, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/may\/05\/autism-national-database-rfk-jr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lunatics<\/a> compiling lists of autistic folks that the world has not seen since the early 1940s.<\/p>\n<p>When people like Demi share their stories, it doesn\u2019t just help autistic folks to see themselves represented. <\/p>\n<p>It also helps <em>allistic <\/em>people \u2014 that is, people who are not autistic \u2014 to remember that autistic people are more than harmful caricatures from television and film.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/05\/demi-burnett-alcohol-masking-autism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes Demi Burnett revealed that she is autistic, surprising some fans in the process. She is now opening up about how some questioned why she seemed different while filming reality television. Demi, like millions of others, masks her autism in various situations. One tool for masking is alcohol. It\u2019s common at social [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":166451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-166448","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}