To be massively unimpressed by the Autism Speaks adverts

[CommunistLegoOoOoBloc]

Come on, MN. Why are you displaying adverts from such a hateful, ignorant organisation? One that advocates a cure, eugenics, is hated by so many people on the autism spectrum and fervently believes in the anti-vax movement?

Urgh.

marabou I do accept there are degrees of Autism. My problem with Autism Speaks, apart from the fact that there are no autistic people speaking is that it creates the impression that all autism is bleak. It isn't. I have three children on the spectrum. I too have a diagnosis. Autism speaks do not represent those like me or my dc. I haven't had it easy, neither have my dc. We've had the school difficulties, the public comments, the public meltdowns and putdowns. I still spend my life fighting even though my children are adults now. It's fucking relentless, I do know, as do others on here.

Have CAHMS put in place a carers package for you?

we were turned down for respite twice. I need to pace myself and pick my battles. This is one I gave up on.

I am ok but I feel there is a side to autism, which often doesn't get discussed on MN. There are quite a few posters with HF ASD themselves who post and yet, they have nothing in common with my DC.

wasn't meant to be a pity me post.... just wanted to give some perspective I suppose .

OP, thank you so much for drawing our attention to this. I've just watched the ad hazey linked to and it makes me feel sick. WTAF? How divisive is that? Let's 'fight' an alternative neurological set up instead of listening to it, learning from it, understanding it?
Autism as some devilish serpent that resides inside our children? I'm so shocked I'm trembling. What do they offer? Bloody exorcisms?

What an interesting thread. I watched that ad and my (NT with no ASD relatives) take on it was 'rather scaremongering and OTT in its tone but essentially giving a reasonable insight.'

In my head I group autism with words like: cancer, depression, down syndrome, dementia, anxiety, epilepsy, MS, diabetes, anorexia etc

This thread shows me that many people affected by autism group it with words like: black, English, kind, gay, impatient, female, tall etc

Although the illnesses I have are part of who I am (they're mental, not physical) I can't imagine now wanting to cure them because they don't have any positive role in my life.

I assumed the same was true of autism. It's very interesting to hear that's not the case. Would some people with autism relate to the feelings of many in the deaf community, who don't view it as a disability and, in many ways, see deafness as a positive that hearing people don't have?

I haven't heard of the organisation the OP is about but, from what has been posted here, it definitely isn't something that should be given ad space on a parenting site.

Hi Dawn I read your 2 links to the same article which is based on opinion. This probably isn't the best timing to say this, in respect to Dixie, but as she says I can't find anything helpful there but then again I can't find anything unhelpful either and I do find the 'film' evocative and descriptive of our own 'autistic' lives to an extent.

With the greatest of respect to all here and everywhere that live with autism I think we've all been 'had'. I question the purpose and placement of OP's post and welcome his/her's explanation of why she/he finds it so important. Rather than quietly report it without a fuss.....

With the greatest of respect to all here
Respect to the hysterical herd, why thank you :)

And did you not read the thread... they explained why it was important to them in the first post.

manicinsomniac

Basically it isn't some evil horrible thing which represses the real person inside....

it is the person, for good and bad with all the discrimination that comes with it, it's not something that you fight with, you are just different to most. There's no "normal" perosn inside waiting tro spring out when autism is cured.

Ta Bubbs I did - but tbh as the parent (single too) of a dc with autism I and my child have been called and viewed and treated very much like the 'cancerous, plague-ridden beasties' on the film - just developed a very thick skin to deal with it over many years.

I think my call of hidden (poss Trump-related?) agenda on the part of the OP is more to the nux. We're too isolated to herd.

(poss Trump-related?)

?????wah???

You are the one being hysterical.

I'm what way have we been "had"? Unless it's someone who's deliberately chosen a name to impersonate another poster, OP is a regular, and I see nothing in the first post to suggest some kind of trollery.

The fact is Plan, the first advert is horrific. I'm autistic. I'm not a drain on society. Neither are my children. My children haven't ruined my marriage, drained my finances etc. We've had some tough times, but that comes with the territory. I wouldn't change them for the world. I would advocate for them and would and have encouraged them to advocate for themselves. In fact both dds have posted on here regularly, dd 1 having quite a reputation1
Autism Speaks do not have anyone with autism on their committees. In fact anyone who does have autism is frequently shut down. We don't apparently know what's best for us. Ergo, they should not be allowed to represent a group who are in fact able to represent themselves and do so very well when given the opportunity.

Ah, just seen Plan's more recent hairyhanded post. As you were

manicinsomniac

It is extremely interesting, and the autistic people on here are probably all going to give you different answers. Personally, I see autism as a way of describing the way my brain is organised, the way I see and experience the world around me and interact with it. It wouldn't be possible for me to exist without being autistic, I wouldn't be me because my brain and experiences in life would be too different to be the same person. So it's about 'who I am' rather than 'what I have', hence my preference for 'I am autistic' over 'I have autism'.

That said, I do view it as a disability, especially in terms of the social model of disability. The way I experience the world leads to anxiety and sometimes confusion and overwhelming and difficult experiences. But sometimes I experience things in a way that makes my brain feel like melting or seizing up with pleasure (eg. certain sensory experiences), which I would never want to lose, and some adults find they have real strengths in life because of their atypical brains!

Ultimately it's very nuanced and individual. I think there are some comparisons with the Deaf community, including the way many autistic adults use language (identity first).

I do have several other conditions (MH and neurological) and would gladly have all of them cured, although I try never to dwell on that.

Dixie exactly, different doesn't mean easier, it just means different.

MaximilianNero you've put that more eloquently than I could.

Ditto.

It's not a curable part of me. It is me.

John Elder Robison on resigning from Autism $peaks

The spectrum of autism ranges from people who can't function at a basic level to people whose contribution to the world has radically altered the way we all live; To suggest it is undesirable per se is so crass. I'm NT but my parents, husband, sons and also my best friend are all autistic (what used to classified as Aspergic and is now classified as HFA.) I've often wonderred why I'm drawn to autistic people. Well, the ones I know are thoughtful, intelligent, loyal, reliable, creative, extremely funny and far more generous in their interpretations of others than neurotypical people. They don't exclude others or create cliques. I'm not saying this is true of all autistic people - that would be a pointless generalisation. But the majority of the people I have meaningful, trusted relationships with are autistic and I wouldn't want them to be any other way, as autism is an intrinsic part of their personality, not a demonic interference preventing them from being neurotypical.

Would some people with autism relate to the feelings of many in the deaf community, who don't view it as a disability and, in many ways, see deafness as a positive that hearing people don't have?

someone with LF ASD and learning diffs won't relate to it simply because they don't have the cognitive ability to understand such complexities. They will never be able to.voice their opinion - unlike the HF crowd.