The Autism Rights Movement

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A new wave of activists wants to celebrate atypical brain function as a positive identity, not a disability. Opponents call them dangerously deluded.
By Andrew Solomon Published May 25, 2008
http://nymag.com/news/features/47225/

Interesting article. Thank you for the link.

Hi brilliant article (for my comments see article)...
beat you see link http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt67094.html

If autism isn't a disability, why all these social programs, special assistance, etc.? I have HFA and I'm not adversed to thinking of as a disability. It is a disability. I'm a receiver of Ontario Disability Supports Program. I take psych meds that allow me to live. Obviously it's not an ideal situation, but I'm not ashamed to admit it or be candid about it. Don't get me wrong, austistic rights are just as important as any other kind of rights. They should be fought for if they are to be worrth having. But to deny that autism is a problem? I dunno ...

That Temple Grandin quote "Some guy with high-functioning Asperger’s developed the first stone spear; it wasn’t developed by those social ones yakking around the campfire." is totally going to be my new signature.

I bet Dr. Grandin has all the papers about that in her briefcase, with a slide of spear head and the guy making it. What blatant pandering that is. As a HFA, I'm insulted.

It was a humorous little comment and I took it as that.

Also, I frequently lose interest in my signatures. I've changed mine six or seven times in the past month.

Get over yourself, it was funny.

Very interesting.
There teenagers who aren't toilet trained? Seriously?

is very possible,am an adult who still isnt able to understand the feel of needing the toilet and regulary miss getting to it,refuse to wear adult nappies as am not as bad as others with this problem,every other adult autistic am live with and have lived with also have this problem.
'not being toilet trained' is a stupid description that is often used for those who have had training but still cant go to the toilet normally.


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good article,not stereotyped.

though there are things am do not like about the neuro diverse campaign just as much as the medical model campaign.
some ND campaigners do not understand any autism but their own form and try and base it all on their own,am fed up of them campaigning against autism being seen as a disability,against it being anything but a difference with talents that make it all better in the end.
being LFA,are treated as less worthy of choice/respect than any other autist by them,and they also go on parents forums and try and tell the parents how to look after their mod/severe/profoundly autistic child when they have little to no experience of autism towards the other end of the spectrum.
they want to denie meds to autistics who need them,because 'it's just a difference',dont get them started on possible future treatment designed to lessen autism severity or even the possible cure,as they say all autistics dont want either-they try to speak for all the spectrum,they dont even listen to the aspies and hfas who have said they would like that sort of help.
it's those 'ND campaigners' who are making the genuine,understanding ND campaigners look bad,and they also have made all of WP look especially bad during their campaigns on autism speaks forum as they quote WP,or the ignorant of the users just guess.
if those ND campaigners want to be taken seriously as being for autism rights,they need to understand the whole spectrum,and not just use autism when meaning only as or hfa-everyone on the spectrum deserves to be respected as they are-autism and all things included,from the most profoundly autistic to those who are unimpaired,but have some asd traits.


as for the medical model campaigners,they do have their place like NDism,as many,including am [and like what slowmutant has said] would be dead by now through autistic behavior if it wasnt for their intervention,but they need to understand that NDism has a place to,and that everything should have equal respect and choice where possible.