Rachel Reid faces backlash after calling autistic character Shane Hollander 'stupid'

The author is also being called out for her calling her children "stupid idiots" one of them being autistic

Author Rachel Reid is facing growing backlash online after a resurfaced video and a series of leaked messages reignited criticism over her portrayal of a fan-favorite character and comments about her own children.

The controversy centers on a video Reid shared in which she humourously described apologising to Shane Hollander, a fictional character from her The Long Game universe.

In the video, Reid recounts calling Shane a “stupid idiot” multiple times, before jokingly apologising and reflecting on how the character has taken on a life of his own among fans. The tone of the video, intended as self-aware humour, did not land well with many viewers, particularly given that Shane is widely understood to be autistic within the canon.

 

 

 

 

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Reid later attempted to clarify her stance through a series of Instagram stories, stating that Shane being autistic is an “important part of his character,” while also addressing ongoing fan discussions about his personality, behavior, and storyline.

She maintained that she does not regret incorporating autism into the character, though acknowledged there were moments she questioned how explicitly it should have been stated publicly. She also pushed back on claims that the character has an eating disorder, describing his diet in the story as performance-based and typical for professional athletes.

Photo: Instagram @rachelreid

Photo: Instagram @rachelreid

However, the backlash intensified as fans revisited past interactions and newly circulated screenshots from Reid’s private Discord server.

In those messages, Reid appeared to criticise Shane’s actions within the story, referring to him as “stupid” for not telling his best friend JJ about his relationship with Ilya Rozanov key information with another character and describing aspects of his behaviour as overly focused on the wrong priorities.

Other messages suggested she had, at one point, expressed regret about labeling the character as autistic, adding further fuel to the criticism.

Photo: X

Fans have argued that the issue goes beyond fictional storytelling, pointing out that language used to describe an autistic character can have real-world impact, especially for readers who identify with him. With Shane, fans have seen themselves represented in the show Heated Rivalry so him being on the spectrum being labelled as "stupid" has not set well with fans.

Many expressed discomfort with the repeated use of terms like “stupid” in reference to Shane, noting that such language can feel harmful when applied to neurodivergent representation.

Additional criticism has been directed at Reid’s remarks in the video about calling her own children “stupid idiots,” which some viewers described as inappropriate, particularly as one of her children is believed to be autistic. The comments were widely shared and debated across social media, with many questioning the normalisation of such language.

The situation escalated further following a public event appearance with Jacob Tierney, where Reid was seen reacting differently to virtual questions posed by actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. Viewers noted a more dismissive reaction to Williams’ question, prompting additional scrutiny and leading fans to revisit past online activity and discussions.

As the controversy continues to unfold, the debate highlights ongoing tensions between creators and audiences over representation, author intent, and the responsibility that comes with writing characters who resonate deeply with marginalised communities. Reid has not issued a formal statement beyond her Instagram posts, but the discourse surrounding Shane and her comments shows little sign of slowing down.