Are autistic people excluded from activist language?
Page 1 of 1 [ 7 posts ]
04 May 2024, 9:09 am
Discussions about civil rights and social issues always place emphasis on how non-white and LGBTQ+ communities are disproportionately affected. But autistic people are almost always excluded. It is not my intent to any way to try to take anything away from what any marginalized group, but my concern is that autistic people remain invisible and excluded from activist language. In short, I would like to emphasize that I want address what remains absent.
One example that illustrates this clearly is this LifeWTR "Life Unseen" PSA that used to run in movie theatres:
This PSA gives a comprehensive list of every group LifeWTR considers a marginalized minority. Disabled people are identified in the PSA as one of those groups, but notice how the language used specifies "the abilities of our bodies". While I doubt this was deliberate, it shows nonetheless that LifeWTR gives no consideration to the millions of people whose disabilities are mental and/or neurological. While I use this PSA to highlight this issue, it isn't a matter that is exclusive to LifeWTR. I have noticed this is a trend across social justice talking points in general.
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
08 May 2024, 7:08 am
Nightwing82 wrote:
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
Yep.
The reason for this is that all those other marginalized groups have much bigger, older, better-organized, and generally better-established activist/advocacy movements than we as autistic people do. These movements have been fighting for their rights over many decades and hence are a well-established part of the Left.
Neurodiversity rights activism, on the other hand, is much newer and smaller -- and harder to achieve, in the first place, due to the nature of our common disability. Activist/advocacy groups for autistic people's rights do exist (e.g. ASAN), but they are not very big or very many.
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
Some thoughts on various kinds of groups that the autistic community needs: Longterm visions for the autistic community.
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08 May 2024, 2:01 pm
Mona Pereth wrote:
Nightwing82 wrote:
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
Yep.
The reason for this is that all those other marginalized groups have much bigger, older, better-organized, and generally better-established activist/advocacy movements than we as autistic people do. These movements have been fighting for their rights over many decades and hence are a well-established part of the Left.
Neurodiversity rights activism, on the other hand, is much newer and smaller -- and harder to achieve, in the first place, due to the nature of our common disability. Activist/advocacy groups for autistic people's rights do exist (e.g. ASAN), but they are not very big or very many.
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
Some thoughts on various kinds of groups that the autistic community needs: Longterm visions for the autistic community.
Quote:
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
In order for that to happen everyone needs to be on the same page and to have things in common and a similar outlook like those who are blind.
Those who are blind are united by similar day to day struggles don't particularly like being blind and support ways to prevent and cure blindness.
This is not the case in autism, divided by the C & D words, the groups will always be fragmented like we see already with ASAN & NCSA.
_________________
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends upon the unreasonable man."
- George Bernie Shaw
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,668
Location: Long Island, New York
09 May 2024, 10:58 am
carlos55 wrote:
Mona Pereth wrote:
Nightwing82 wrote:
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
Yep.
The reason for this is that all those other marginalized groups have much bigger, older, better-organized, and generally better-established activist/advocacy movements than we as autistic people do. These movements have been fighting for their rights over many decades and hence are a well-established part of the Left.
Neurodiversity rights activism, on the other hand, is much newer and smaller -- and harder to achieve, in the first place, due to the nature of our common disability. Activist/advocacy groups for autistic people's rights do exist (e.g. ASAN), but they are not very big or very many.
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
Some thoughts on various kinds of groups that the autistic community needs: Longterm visions for the autistic community.
Quote:
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
In order for that to happen everyone needs to be on the same page and to have things in common and a similar outlook like those who are blind.
Those who are blind are united by similar day to day struggles don't particularly like being blind and support ways to prevent and cure blindness.
This is not the case in autism, divided by the C & D words, the groups will always be fragmented like we see already with ASAN & NCSA.
Activists in many movements do not want to be cured. For example blacks do not want to be white.
It is rare activist movement that does not have internal disagreements about important issues. The difference between most* of those movements and the ND movement is the other movements usually agree on the fundamentals. Little disagreement over who is black, who has cancer. This is not true with who is neurodiverse, never mind who is autistic.
*Feminists do not agree if those identifying as a women who were born with male genitals are women.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
09 May 2024, 3:15 pm
ASPartOfMe wrote:
carlos55 wrote:
Mona Pereth wrote:
Nightwing82 wrote:
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
Yep.
The reason for this is that all those other marginalized groups have much bigger, older, better-organized, and generally better-established activist/advocacy movements than we as autistic people do. These movements have been fighting for their rights over many decades and hence are a well-established part of the Left.
Neurodiversity rights activism, on the other hand, is much newer and smaller -- and harder to achieve, in the first place, due to the nature of our common disability. Activist/advocacy groups for autistic people's rights do exist (e.g. ASAN), but they are not very big or very many.
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
Some thoughts on various kinds of groups that the autistic community needs: Longterm visions for the autistic community.
Quote:
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
In order for that to happen everyone needs to be on the same page and to have things in common and a similar outlook like those who are blind.
Those who are blind are united by similar day to day struggles don't particularly like being blind and support ways to prevent and cure blindness.
This is not the case in autism, divided by the C & D words, the groups will always be fragmented like we see already with ASAN & NCSA.
Activists in many movements do not want to be cured. For example blacks do not want to be white.
It is rare activist movement that does not have internal disagreements about important issues. The difference between most* of those movements and the ND movement is the other movements usually agree on the fundamentals. Little disagreement over who is black, who has cancer. This is not true with who is neurodiverse, never mind who is autistic.
*Feminists do not agree if those identifying as a women who were born with male genitals are women.
Your kind of mixing up disability with natural racial diversity which isn't really the same. Many autistic or disabled people in general are imprisoned by their disability and severely restricted in their life options like living independently and having control over their own life. Which is why severe disability can never really be an identity.
Many of these groups you mention ive read are openly hostile to each other, feminists and trans a good example, even LGB and trans are hostile.
There`s been all sorts of demonstrations between these groups, trans people breaking into feminist meetings shouting them down, turning very ugly.
Not a great example
_________________
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends upon the unreasonable man."
- George Bernie Shaw
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,668
Location: Long Island, New York
09 May 2024, 6:12 pm
carlos55 wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
carlos55 wrote:
Mona Pereth wrote:
Nightwing82 wrote:
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
Yep.
The reason for this is that all those other marginalized groups have much bigger, older, better-organized, and generally better-established activist/advocacy movements than we as autistic people do. These movements have been fighting for their rights over many decades and hence are a well-established part of the Left.
Neurodiversity rights activism, on the other hand, is much newer and smaller -- and harder to achieve, in the first place, due to the nature of our common disability. Activist/advocacy groups for autistic people's rights do exist (e.g. ASAN), but they are not very big or very many.
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
Some thoughts on various kinds of groups that the autistic community needs: Longterm visions for the autistic community.
Quote:
In order for a marginalized group to have a large and well-organized advocacy movement, it helps a lot for the group to have an even larger (much larger) organized community (in the sense of subculture) that serves the group in many more ways besides just activism/advocacy. Hence we need to find ways to build the autistic adult community.
In order for that to happen everyone needs to be on the same page and to have things in common and a similar outlook like those who are blind.
Those who are blind are united by similar day to day struggles don't particularly like being blind and support ways to prevent and cure blindness.
This is not the case in autism, divided by the C & D words, the groups will always be fragmented like we see already with ASAN & NCSA.
Activists in many movements do not want to be cured. For example blacks do not want to be white.
It is rare activist movement that does not have internal disagreements about important issues. The difference between most* of those movements and the ND movement is the other movements usually agree on the fundamentals. Little disagreement over who is black, who has cancer. This is not true with who is neurodiverse, never mind who is autistic.
*Feminists do not agree if those identifying as a women who were born with male genitals are women.
Your kind of mixing up disability with natural racial diversity which isn't really the same. Many autistic or disabled people in general are imprisoned by their disability and severely restricted in their life options like living independently and having control over their own life. Which is why severe disability can never really be an identity.
Many of these groups you mention ive read are openly hostile to each other, feminists and trans a good example, even LGB and trans are hostile.
There`s been all sorts of demonstrations between these groups, trans people breaking into feminist meetings shouting them down, turning very ugly.
Not a great example
There are plenty of feminists that do think people who are born with male genitals who identify as women are women and lobby for them. It is called Transfeminism. There are other feminists that think it is the most misogynistic idea possible. A similar fundamental disagreement to is autism a disability people have or an identity.
For the purposes of this thread it does not matter who is right. The question is why autistic people are excluded from activist language. Mona basically said the reason is the autistic rights movement can’t get their act together and listed several reasons. I added the reason of fundamental disagreement as to what autism is.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Yesterday, 7:52 pm
Nightwing82 wrote:
Discussions about civil rights and social issues always place emphasis on how non-white and LGBTQ+ communities are disproportionately affected. But autistic people are almost always excluded. It is not my intent to any way to try to take anything away from what any marginalized group, but my concern is that autistic people remain invisible and excluded from activist language. In short, I would like to emphasize that I want address what remains absent.
One example that illustrates this clearly is this LifeWTR "Life Unseen" PSA that used to run in movie theatres:
This PSA gives a comprehensive list of every group LifeWTR considers a marginalized minority. Disabled people are identified in the PSA as one of those groups, but notice how the language used specifies "the abilities of our bodies". While I doubt this was deliberate, it shows nonetheless that LifeWTR gives no consideration to the millions of people whose disabilities are mental and/or neurological. While I use this PSA to highlight this issue, it isn't a matter that is exclusive to LifeWTR. I have noticed this is a trend across social justice talking points in general.
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
One example that illustrates this clearly is this LifeWTR "Life Unseen" PSA that used to run in movie theatres:
This PSA gives a comprehensive list of every group LifeWTR considers a marginalized minority. Disabled people are identified in the PSA as one of those groups, but notice how the language used specifies "the abilities of our bodies". While I doubt this was deliberate, it shows nonetheless that LifeWTR gives no consideration to the millions of people whose disabilities are mental and/or neurological. While I use this PSA to highlight this issue, it isn't a matter that is exclusive to LifeWTR. I have noticed this is a trend across social justice talking points in general.
There is a significant body of research that demonstrates that the marginalization, discrimination, violence, and abuse autistic people face on a daily basis is comparable to any other minority group. But despite that, we rarely see anyone talk about the marginalization of autistic people.
It would be somewhat more accurate to refer to it as LGTQIA+ as there's hardly any interest in doing things that might help bisexual folks out, because we're just an inconvenient reality for a lot of the activists groups.
I'm not surprised that autistic folks tend to be left out as you've got folks that are effectively so disabled that it's hard to properly advocate for themselves and those at the other end that don't have anything going on that resonates with people enough to be advocated for.
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