Autism Speaks

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There are some good books on disability rights in general that address this divide between crips and their sympathisers. I found a bunch at the library - big eye opener. So that's another area you can research: disability activism in general.

Research the Deaf community too--another group of people isolated by a communication difference. It's very fascinating.

Asperger Syndrome was named for an Austrian pediatrition who sheltered autistic children during the reign of Nazi Germany by arguing that they were intellectually gifted. At some point, he and some Catholic nun even built a special school for them. Unfortunately, there was another guy by the name of Kanner who also did research on what was called "autistic psychosis," and Kanner treated the disorder more as a disease. Because much of Hans Asperger's original work was lost during Allied bombing of Germany, though, Kanner's ideas held sway in Western psychology for several decades before it came to light that some autistic children seem to perform excellently under slightly adjusted educational routes.

Because Kanner's thinking persists in some circles, many autists are either left entirely untreated or treated similarly to autists who are obviously mentally ret*d, and this can have a catastrophic impact on the attitudes of parents and teachers toward autistic children, even lead to intentional or unintentional abuse. One of the most logical outcomes is a very simple one: because many autists rely extremely heavily upon the skills they learn in the pursuit of their narrow interests, suppressing the development of these interests in some misguided effort to "cure" them could result in autistic adults who still can't function normally, and they don't even have the skill or drive to fend for themselves in the modern workforce.

Because most autists today would perform at or above the level of their peers in a parallel curriculum that would cost the taxpayer either nothing or next to nothing, especially compared to trying to give their personalities an all-out makeover, many high-functioning autists are very disgruntled over the continued disease-centric perception of autism. Autists are not just disease-ridden pity cases: most of us would perform at or above the level of our peers with only minor adjustments.

To put it simply, I think the concern of Autism Speaks' detractors is that the organization is giving the public a very one-sided, stigmatized view of autism and autistic-spectrum disorders. The propagation of this stigma is making life very difficult, even insufferable, for many relatively high-functioning autists. The long-term effect of orgs like Autism Speaks is to remove a tumor by killing the patient.

Here is my genuine sentiment on the issue; I can honestly see both sides to the issue. I can see how it makes a lot of Autistics feel. Then again I see it from their point of view too. I believe that they genuinely want to help us, but they do not understand that some of the things they produce (commercials, press releases, ect) are offensive to us. They believe that curing or preventing us from being in existence is "good". Others literally see that as a statement of genocide.

Here is my view on it. First, I am diagnosed with autism. I do not view autism as bad. In fact I enjoy being autistic. But Autism Speaks gives the general public the idea that autism is bad. That irritates me. Autism is not bad---it is misunderstood by many NTs though. Autism Speaks makes it seem like autistic people are miserable and beyond hope. That is not true. Many autistic people can do whatever they allow themselves to do. I get so tired of hearing the message that autism is a tragedy. The tragedy is the misunderstandings about autism.

My childhood was not a tragedy. My childhood was happy. Did I socialize much as a child? No. Do I wish I had socialized more? No. I was extremely satisfied and have no regrets about my childhood. Not much has changed today. I am 44 years old. I still do not socialize much. I prefer it that way.

So to sum it up, Autism Speaks gives the impression that autism is a tragedy that needs cured. I am autistic, and I don't view myself as a tragedy. And I don't want a cure---and besides, I see autism as a difference---you can't cure that. I love my autism and all it has allowed me to do. I love the interests it has given me...etc.

reddingcal, yes, I do think they are misguided rather than malevolent; but I really do not think this makes their effect any more helpful. Members of the general public, when told I have autism, still speak in sad voices when they talk about it. I don't know much about whether they look sad; but voices are like music, and I know pity when they play it. I don't want to be pitied; pity implies I'm helpless and tragic. I just want to be myself; not somebody's project.

Something even funnier than not remembering what it was like being nonverbal (I don't remember anything before the age of 4 1/2 or so...): there's no way I'd want my father, who so happens to have Asperger's (unofficially diagnosed at Attwood's), speak for anyone but himself.

I've never been pitied; people have always told me that I do well with the difficulties I have, i.e., encouraging and supportive of my disability.

glider18,

Autism can be good and bad; just like most things in life, but there's varying degrees of both, and each person has their own subjective opinion on what's good and bad.

You're married right? Did you know that effectively zero individuals with HFA marry/have sexual relations? AS, yes, and sometimes, but not HFA. This is from current and old studies, so that's accurate. You're only seeing it from your side.

Hi Daniel-

Some AUT's are forced into marriage for cultural and religious reasons with disasterous consequences.

But you are right, voluntarily, rare.

Married is the furthest thing from the truth. I'm asexual and I've never done anything romantic with anyone.

With all the AUT's all over the world in various culture and religions, I can assure you that some are forced into marriage and I know one who was.

And it was not a very good outcome.

I admire very much those of you who have been allowed to claim who you were born to be or who you want to be. When I was dxed I was finally "given permission" but I know this will not be easy to understand and I don't mean to be confrontational.

The odds were low that I would ever get married because of my social reclusiveness and am typicaly uninterested in the who social scene in person. However in a disability center I found my wife to be. Our relationship is not ordinary and I have difficulty with breaking my routine and interests to focus on her many times, however we are certain for each other and instinct seems as it is. I have HFA but that does not mean I am incapable of getting married or having a relationship but for me it took special circumstances. She and I go to a councilor that specializes in disability relationships through the Regional Center as well.

Statistics are based on groups of people but not the entire collective of pupils.

Perhaps you have residual autism (this is people diagnosed with infantile autism when young, but with marked improvements throughout life, and they're effectively like someone with AS as an adult). Or you can just be one of the statistical outliers who are lucky to have found someone accommodating/understanding.

The easiest analogy is: can you see the filmed depiction Rain Man getting married? I can't see it.