A boy talks to a woman on a webcam while spraying his hands. Photo from Pexels. For three years, I worked as a direct support professional, or DSP, for autistic teenagers with higher support needs in group homes. They were sent there for violent offenses committed in the community. I recall my times there so others have an idea of how group homes operate and the impact it can have on the people who live (or are forced to live) there. All names and identifying information have been changed to protect the identities of the individuals mentioned throughout the pieces. The program I worked for int ..read more

Content Warning: Ableism, exploitation, violence   The autism spectrum is incredibly vast, with each person displaying a distinct number of traits where no two are alike. It can be hard to put any group of autistics in a box, as there are some who can’t bathe themselves but can remember every fact about the solar system, or someone who is the CEO of a company but who need help in social situations. Recently, a handful of organizations like the National Council on Severe Autism and the Autism Science Foundation have started a website emphasizing those with “severe autism,” stating their p ..read more

A book titled “We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia” in multicolored and black lettering. Photo from Amazon Since Temple Grandin made headlines in the 1980s as the first openly autistic adult to be recognized in the media, many autistics have made memoirs about their personal experiences since her heyday. However, most just cover one perspective of autism but don’t highlight the rest of the spectrum. We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia achieves what the title implies, being a mixture of personal memoir, autistic history, and ..read more

The view of autism as a negative condition by society is not a new phenomenon. From the founder of ABA saying autistics are “not people in the psychological sense” to Autism Speaks calling it an “epidemic,” the Neurodiversity Movement has been utilized by the marginalized group to challenge those claims. However, there are some people hoping to prevent autism entirely. On July 18, Mark Blaxill, Toby Rogers, and Cynthia Nevison published a paper in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders titled “Autism Tsunami: the Impact of Rising Prevalence on the Societal Cost of Autism ..read more

CW: Autism Speaks, ableism, violence A red banner that reads “#REDinstead Autism Acceptance Month” in white letters Every year in A pril, an international tradition is celebrated that autistic people dread, and that’s Autism Awareness Month. In response, autistic people created Autism Acceptance Month, as acceptance promotes action, while awareness is passive. Autism Awareness Month was created by the Autism Society of America (ASA) in 1970 and became internationally recognized thanks to Autism Speaks (AS) and their “Light it Up Blue” campaign every April 2. Even before the latter organizatio ..read more

Britney Spears, a blonde woman wearing a translucent outfit with her arms outstretched in front of a black background. A caption reading “#freebritney is about disability justice. #solidarity. neurodivergent liberation coalition.” The legal act of someone being in control of another person’s daily life or finances, or conservatorship (also called guardianship) is not a new phenomenon. Conservatorship is appointed by a judge when a person is considered incapacitated or incapable of handling their life or finances without assistance. In a recent episode of The New York Times Presents titled “Fra ..read more

A candle being held in front of a dark background with faint lights behind it. Photo from iStock Trigger Warning: Filicide, ableism   It’s safe to say that the idea of murdering a child or loved one is a universally evil act. However, when it’s a disabled person who is murdered, the media tends to center the murderer as justified in their actions. They’ll use excuses like the victim being “difficult to care for” or calling the murderer “a devoted and loving mother.” In response, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and partner organizations hold a Disability Day of Mourning Vigil ann ..read more

A white girl in a yellow costume with an exaggerated smile raising her hands with two hands raised behind her, as well as women in pink costumes dancing in front of a pink background. Photo from Rolling Stone Trigger Warning: Restraint, ableism, racism   With Sia’s directorial debut Music having been theatrically released on February 12, one thing is certain: the film is an absolute train wreck. Autistic activists’ anger is justified, as it sensationalizes dangerous actions such as restraints, but it also makes the title character’s life look easy. Right from the beginning, the film is of ..read more

Self-advocates and organizations like the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) are leading the charge in ending the barbaric practice which is sub-minimum wage. Simply put, sub-minimum wage is a payment that is less than minimum wage. The practice was enacted in 1938 as part of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) intended for wounded veterans returning from war. Currently, subminimum wage is legal for “individuals whose earning or productive capacities are impaired by a physical or mental disability, including those related to age or injury, for the work to be performed.” (Source) This is to ..read more

Autism Speaks has certainly changed in the past year, at least superficially. They created an advertisement called, “The New Autism Speaks,” wherein they introduced 2020 as the “Year of kindness.” The irony notwithstanding, it begs the question— why did it take them 15 years to come up with that? For years, autistic people have objected to the puzzle piece as as a symbol of autism, so it may be hard to believe that Autism Speaks changed their iconic blue puzzle piece logo. Now, it’s a blue puzzle piece with a pink gradient towards the bottom. If you notice, the pink only covers a small portio ..read more