Autism Speaks. Please Light it up Blue April 1 and 2

[Mike 03]

Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaZi04TMn5Q

[Mike 03]

1. I never ask you guys to kick anything, but this is different. Please kick.

This is an epidemic. Please help.

[PA Democrat]

2. Happy to K & R .

[Mike 03]

3. Thank you, it means a lot. K and R.

[PA Democrat]

5. It means a lot to me too.

I have a child with autism. :pals:

[HockeyMom]

4. Blue and Red

on April 1st in solidarity with government workers here in Florida too. Maybe I will wear white shoes to complete my outfit.

I have worked with autistic children in the schools. :kick:

[kickysnana]

6. K&R

Mahatma Ghandi who said, "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."

[Snoutport]

7. Teacher with Students who have Autism :0) happy to kick!

[Canuckistanian]

8. Kick

I have an autistic son.

[femmocrat]

9. Kick. Another teacher here. n/t

[susanr516]

10. knr

I have an autistic grandson.

[akwapez]

11. kick

[Teaser]

12. Autistic here.

Some of us find Autism Speaks a problematic representative.

but I hope this helps some people who want/need it.

[akwapez]

13. can you elaborate on why they are a problematic representative?

I'm in no way arguing, I don't know anything about them.

[Teaser]

14. in the past

they have tended to pick the most *extreme* cases of autism and used them as *representative* for the entire population of autism.

Kids who are trapped in stimming motions, non-verbals, etc. It has helped to create a skewed impression of what autism is, and helped to engender reactions of horror in parents when their child is diagnosed as autistic.

Furthermore, not all of us consider our autism a "disability". There are certain skills and abilities I have that I likely would not have were I not autistic. I would not trade them for a cure. I stim, I hate looking people in the eye. Physical contact with humans is very off putting, noise and light bother me, and I have meltdowns. But I don't want to fix that part of me. It's defined me.

Autism speaks is trying to do good here, and I don't begrudge them, really. Recently they've taken up some Aspies as spokespeople:

http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2010/03/09/robison/ so I think they're beginning to get the hang of presenting and celebrating all the portions of the autism spectrum.

[akwapez]

16. thank you for that additonal info

I have a son who is ADHD, SPD, and although we have not gotten a formal diagnosis, we have had multiple professionals tell us that many would label him with Aspergers. Hence my interest in the topic.

[KamaAina]

15. They're trying to cure us rather than improve our lives.

Their whole message is that having a kid with autism is the worst thing in the whole world. The classic example of this is the video in which a mom pulls over in the middle of the George Washington Bridge -- and considers driving off, with not only her Autistic son but two neurotypical children!

As for myself, I am an Ivy League graduate and have spoken in front of audiences of hundreds. I don't need "Neurotypicals Speak for Autism".

For our side of the story, see the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network:

http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

[opihimoimoi]

17. You Tell um Guy...you tell um...:o)

[akwapez]

18. thanks for the link