well, here we are.
We're now past Autism Acceptance Month 2021, and all the media attention for Autistic people has faded.
So why is it today when logging onto my social accounts, I find that the Autistic community is celebrating that fact?
here lies the problem I'm discussing today.
Allistic Saviours.
let's start with a basic definition:
An Allistic Saviour is a person who is not Autistic and often not neurodivergent in any way claiming to speak on behalf of Autistic people and the Autistic community.
Ironically, many of these people also have a problem with people who use the #ActuallyAutistic hashtag on social media (a hashtag used by Autistic people trying to share information about Autism) & the majority of them share incorrect information.
"but why would an Allistic Saviour be enough to ruin an entire month based around helping these people?"
Because it's not just one. Many parents especially believe they know better because they've raised an Autistic child, when in reality, the child had the proper experience with Autism, and they often know better.
It gets worse when you realise that the term can also be applied to "charities" like Autism Speaks, or NEXT for Autism, or even the Judge Rotenberg Centre (JRC) who have recently been heavily criticized for their continued use of ABA therapies on Autistic people that include shocks & other abusive and illegal forms of **TORTURE** but continue to get away with it.
Throughout April, Autistic voices are silenced in favour of Allistic Saviours and Autistic people are left to their own devices, with people more willing to listen to the charities & parents than the people experiencing it.
It shouldn't need to be that a month dedicated to helping Autistic people is the worst month of the year for said Autistic people, yet it is.
"but surely speaking as a group you're heard more."
here lies another problem. The Autistic community is very divided. We live in an Ableist world which is not kind to the Autistic community, hence why many don't get past 30 without committing suicide. This leads some Autistic people to preferring the concept of finding a cure as these "charities" promise, and divides us from within.
In reality what needs to happen is the world needs to change to be more accepting of Neurodivergence. We're here & we're not going anywhere, the world needs to change to accommodate us, we do not have to change to accommodate you. It's a shame that this world has divided the Autistic community to a point that this is a problem I have to even consider raising.
I suppose that's about it for me, I've made my point.
Thank you for reading, if you enjoy what I write here considering subscribing to my mailing list so you're informed when I make new posts.
Stay safe everyone,
- Josh.
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