A gay white man who became infamous last month when a video of him repeatedly harassing a black woman at a pool went viral has now claimed that his racism is caused by his autism. And here’s the thing — he might be telling the truth, at least according to one autism researcher.
The man in question, Nick Starr-Street, confronted two black women, Felecia Soso and Gaëlle Claude, for allegedly playing their music too loudly at the pool in the Hyattsville, Maryland apartment complex where they all lived.
In a twitter thread, Soso wrote:
So my friends and I are chilling by the pool right.. SEVEN BLACK WOMEN.. Not being loud, super chill, playing quiet music, (I could barely even hear it in the actual pool), other people were at the pool (white women children, etc)
We are told to turn our music down so we do so.. and now it’s like barely playing we have food and drinks and are chilling talking (not loudly) and enjoying ourselves..
So he complains to the leasing office.. they come out and talk to us.. they are clearly very annoyed with this dude I show them the video.. they go back and calmly talk to him.. they leave… he leaves and he COMES BACK
He comes out so that we SEE him calling the police on us (the black women who were doing nothing but being black and existing).. I know it doesn’t matter but my friends are all professionals.. all very classy.. all lowkey.. all well spoken SUPER CHILL women
Then 5 minutes later.. who pulls up but the ACTUAL PG COUNTY POLICE FOR SEVEN WOMEN WHO ARE LITERALLY JUST SITTING BY A POOL!!! I see this stuff online but having this happen in person like BLATANT racism for NO reason at ALLLLLLLLL
Also an hour later a group of white residents came down and were very loud (didn’t bother us cuz heyyy its Saturday we’re having fun) but this man was silent
THEN a second group of black women went down by the pool to grill and he was BACK
We were taking food back up to the aparment.. when we got back down and found out what was actually going on..
This dude was complaining to leasing because these women had shopping carts that they’d brought in from the grocery store next door with their food in it to grill.
Here’s a video of Starr-Street confronting one of the women at the pool:
How about we take this to the next level?
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This man comes out of no where and I only started recording because I thought it was gonna be hilarious.. this man started yelling at my friend so I ran over.. mind you we were NOT LOUD at all.. we had glass bottles but he was NOT AT THE POOL.. he doesn’t work here lol pic.twitter.com/4L7K6k4pCV
— Lil Fort Wash Posh (@SuggSavage) June 22, 2019
In a separate incident that same month, Starr-Street allegedly stalked two black women for a mile and called the police because the women were drinking wine and taking pictures at an apartment pool.
This white man literally stalked us from his apartment for damn near a mile just cause we were at the pool drinking wine and taking pictures. Called the police and all…I cannot make this up smh pic.twitter.com/96tGTSykUZ
— G da baby (@BestFlaws) June 23, 2019
If this guy sounds familiar, it could be because in 2016 he wondered why Drag Race All-Star Roxxxy Andrews hadn’t died at the Pulse Nightclub shooting. He also posted anti-Semitic and racist tweets in 2011. His Instagram profile, which showed a picture of him kissing his husband, included the bio: “Notorious, news making, outspoken, autistic. Anti-LGBTQ. Don’t follow me if you suck d*ck.”
He has since been suspended from Twitter and was evicted from the apartment complex. He has also deactivated his Facebook account and made his Instagram profile private. But on Facebook, Starr-Street said that he reacted as he did towards the women because of his autism.
“I’m autistic and lack a gauge that goes anywhere but 0 and 100,” Starr-Street wrote. “When I see a lease violation, I call it out and do everything in my power to make sure it is resolved, no matter who is the person violating.”
But here’s the thing: According to autism researcher Damian Stanley, a man who helped author a 2015 National Institute of Health report entitled, “Implicit Social Biases in People with Autism,” people with autism sometimes stick to a very specific set of rules that they adhere to in (pardon the pun) black-and-white terms.
Stanley says, “Explicit biases that they’ve been exposed to growing up would be rules” to some autistic people.
So if Starr-Street is actually autistic and grew up around racism — whether overtly from his family or just societally from bias in media and politics — it’s possible that he could’ve developed a set of “rules” that makes black people seem worth policing. However, Stanley says that autism doesn’t automatically make people more inclined to be racist nor does it excuse Starr-Street ‘s behavior.
Stanley says, “Autism is a very heterogeneous disorder and it is a spectrum disorder, so the extent to which, the manner in which they’re affected is highly variable. We don’t know to what extent we can attribute poor behavior to one thing or another at this time.”
Vince
Of course he’s careful not to harass the males.
poundmetoo
Autism shaming! And I guess in the warped mind of a sjw black trumps gay on the victim hood scale.
Cam
The anti-LGBT troll account is getting desperate.
1. The article wasn’t “Autism shaming” the guy actually used his autism as an excuse.
2. Considering this isn’t an equal, either/or situation there is no race to see which minority is more oppressed. This guy harassed people and was called out.
But it’s cute you tried to make this a racial thing….you know, like you Republicans always do.
Kangol2
The next time someone harasses or stalks you because you’re a right-wing white creep and claims it’s their autism, don’t whine or complain, OK?
poundmetoo
Hey kang don’t you ever get tired of being a “ victim” and a black racist? Jeesh!
Cam
@poundmetoo
Interesting how you only responded to the comment that allowed you to attack somebody for being black.
Your racism hasn’t changed since before you were called “BJ McFrisky” oh so many screenames ago.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@ poundmetoo
Don’t forget, the KKK rally begins at 8:00 pm, don’t forget your hood…………………………….. and cape.
Kangol2
@poundmetoo, I’m nobody’s “victim” but you’re projecting: you’re the racist and so pathetic you couldn’t even respond to my comment without an ad hominem attack. Like I said, don’t whine a similar creep comes for your pathetic @ss.
theafricanwiththemouth
You + this comment = Literal trash.
Cam
The problem with the excuse is. At first he claimed his autism was to blame because he didn’t like it when people violated rules. He only changed to the racism excuse when a bunch of racist social media posts by he and his husband popped up and people from other cities where he lived exposed more racist history.
Also, the second example is the one that really went viral. These women had just signed a contract to move in, were having wine at the pool which the lifeguard had cleared and he came out, harassed them, and then stalked them for over a mile following them outside the complex and into a Home Depot where the police were called.
SalvoPA
Is this man Eric Cartman or…….???
LostMyClothesAgain
Respect my autoritayyy.
theafricanwiththemouth
LMAO. At least Eric is savagely funny. This? This is not.
radiooutmike
This man is an affront to the LGBTQ community.
mickey210
I’m sure it is self diagnosing, he is probably allergic to wheat and soy. There is not a scientific test for autism for professionals.
Heywood Jablowme
Good point. There is way too much self-diagnosing of autism. Sometimes they’re the same people who are sure they have a life-threatening peanut allergy because their mommies decided 20 years ago it would make them more special to have a peanut allergy.
SportGuy
Cant wait till this fat queen approaches the wrong woman and he gets the crap great it off him.
Kangol2
Because “autism” could ever be believed as an excuse for racism or hating Jewish people. Yeah, right. He just needs a really good… Well, he’l get it if he messes with the wrong person.
theafricanwiththemouth
Love how awesomely cool the ladies were. But if he keeps this up, he’s gonna really get it. Hopefully with a viral video to boot.
dinard38
Yeah, he keeps this up and he will definitely run into the wrong person and get his ass beat down. And as Vince mentioned above, I see he’s not harassing any men….black men in particular. I would love to see him stalk two black men for a mile. Let’s just say he wouldn’t have made it 100 feet, let alone a mile.
And let’s not blame his hatred on being autistic. That’s just straight up BS! I saw some of the vile things he posted on Twitter. Let’s call it what it is. He’s just a racist gay man. Yes, they do exist.
white-queer-african
@theafricanwiththemouth, brother I do dig your comments and sentiments. Just for the record, before some queen soils his knickers, we are two different Africans 🙂
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
GREAT!!!
Now along with “religious freedom” the right wing nutbags smcubags are all going to claim to be Autistic to “justify” their hatred towards us….
NZLawyer
Please… As an Autistic Spectrum Lawyer with an Autistic LBGTQ son I ask you not to believe this terrible excuse. Most AS people are like me and allies if not LGBTQ. He hates gay people and black people because he is a dickhead. Autism is NOT the reason. Please don’t hate us because of this bullshitter.
Thank you my friends.
enlightenone
No worries, I don’t think even the not so bright layperson on this thread believe this psychobabble to try to defend another “privileged” male with little pigmentation!
enlightenone
He needs to be in a locked mental treatment facility in Utah!