Survivor 48, viewers got to know a lot about Eva in a short span of time. The 24 year old PhD candidate kept her education a secret as she moved through the game, revealing that she was a hockey referee and making it seem like she was simply a college student, but Eva opened up about her autism early in the season.
While Eva becoming the first openly autistic Survivor castaway was a big deal for representation, some viewers took issue with the way it came off on screen. Without criticizing Eva's behavior in moments that were clearly part of her processing, which she often called autistic episodes or meltdowns, viewers struggled to connect with the way that Eva was playing the game. Owning up to the black and white way she saw the world by the end of the game, Eva didn't try to change herself on Survivor. Though I loved seeing Eva on screen, I'm happy the criticism is ending.
Survivor 48 Introduced Eva & Her Autism Diagnosis
She Wasn't Afraid To Be Herself
When Eva ed the cast of Survivor 48 and shared she was the first openly autistic castaway, I had my reservations. To be clear, none of these reservations were about Eva or her diagnosis. I am firmly of the belief that neurodivergence has been represented before on Survivor without it being called out, and further, felt that Eva would be able to work through the game in the same way every other castaway could, albeit potentially with a bit more stress. My reservations were more about the way Eva was going to be perceived for leading with her autism diagnosis.
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While it was likely just something Eva was sharing about herself in the same way someone would tell you their height or hair color, Survivor has a very wide net of viewers who a lot of judgment in all sorts of ways. Many Survivor fans were quick to Eva without seeing her gameplay, for example, while others weren't happy she'd revealed her diagnosis in the first place. As the season went on, there appeared to be a shift about Eva's gameplay, especially because she continually talked about her autism to make sure she was representing other neurodivergent people.
Eva Was Unabashedly Herself & It Caused Issues
She Owned Her Black & White Thinking
While Eva worked hard throughout the game, playing through complex emotions and difficult moments, she was often called out for being a black and white thinker. In moments of distress, Eva felt that things were all or nothing, which caused her to spiral into emotional meltdowns. With the help of her ally, Joe Hunter, Eva was able to calm down and ground herself. Even so, she was called out by frustrated fans, who felt that she was over-rewarded and coddled in moments because she spoke up about her autism diagnosis, which they believed pushed others to pull back their behavior.
Fan Frustration With Eva Has Made Her Game Seem Less Impressive
Viewers Struggled With Her Apparent Lack Of Independence
Although I understand the fan frustration in some circumstances, like Eva consistently being rewarded and still often talking about being hungry in front of others who hadn't eaten, I think a lot of the criticism of Eva went overboard. Eva truly played Survivor authentically because she can only be herself, and I appreciated seeing that on the show. While it may not have won her the game, Eva was able to get through to the final tribal council and, despite having advantages, worked hard to get there. I'm happy the criticism around Eva's Survivor journey can be put to rest.
Source: Eva Erickson/Instagram
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