Autistics Speaking Day
Hi all, hope you're doing well! I'm making this post far later than I should have, but I just wanted to spread the word about Autistics Speaking Day - an event created by my very good friend neko_no_baka, an aspie and autism rights activist.
For those who aren't familiar with autism, this very good article by Jared Blackburn on the site Autistics.Org does an excellent job of explaining what it's like to live with autism. As the article explains:
"Autism is a developmental disability of the brain, much like dyslexia, cognitive impairment*, or attention deficit disorder. Autism is not a form of cognitive impairment, and though many autistic people appear to function as cognitively delayed, they are frequently quite intelligent. […]
The word autism may actually refer to several similar disabilities, including Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, and 'Atypical' Autism (a type of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified). Though there are some differences between these conditions, they are quite similar, and those who have them experience many of the same difficulties in life.
The symptoms of autism can vary widely from one individual to the next. Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder because it ranges in severity across a wide range of conditions, like the colors of a rainbow. In addition, some people may be affected more by one symptom, while others may be affected more strongly by a different symptom. Also, some of the symptoms may have variable manifestations."
Autistics Speaking Day was created as a response to Communication Shutdown, an event which encourages non-autistic people to avoid posting on Twitter or Facebook for a day, in order to spread awareness about autism. Communication Shutdown was intended partly as a way for non-autistic people to experience some of the social isolation that many people on the autism spectrum feel. However, Communication Shutdown has been criticized by many in the autism community, for a variety of reasons. Here's what neko_no_baka had to say about Communication Shutdown on her autism activism blog No Stereotypes Here:
"As I've previously stated, November 1st is Communication Shutdown, and from the responses, it seems that more and more people are questioning the method of this Autism awareness event. As has been pointed out by bbsmom, it spreads the myth that autistic people don't communicate, when in truth, we communicate in many different ways. While the attempt to understand our difficulties is admirable, I don't think that a non-autistic person can fully understand an autistic reality, even with some intense simulations."
In response to Communication Shutdown, she called for November 1 to be Autistics Speaking Day, a day for people on the autism spectrum to raise their voices and be heard. Here's how she describes the purpose of Autistics Speaking Day:
"While this is certainly a response to Communication Shutdown, whether it is a counter-event or protest of the Shutdown depends on whether or not you agree with Shutdown. This can be a complementary event, an alternative event or a counter-protest event. We can agree to disagree on the details about this. What matters though, is that people participate. […]
The name for it doesn't matter. This is a day that is supposed to be about spreading Autism Awareness, therefore it's OUR day. It doesn't just belong to me, it belongs to all of us, and what matters is that we stand together to raise Autism awareness."
"Let us use this day to flood every social networking site we know with our accounts, our experiences, what it feels like to be Autistic.
Every sensory pain, every communication frustration, every account of being bullied, every wondrous moment, every peaceful calm, every instant of understanding and joy.
Let them hear our voices and take back the Autism community.
Let us speak.
Let us tell you what it's like to be us."
While there's a lot that I could say about issues around autism rights, I feel that this should be a day for autistics to speak up, and for non-autistics like me to listen. So, instead of getting on my personal soapbox, I'm just going to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to check out Neko's excellent autism activism blog, and to share some of the many blogs and videos posted by the participants of Autistics Speaking Day:
Allecto Moore at http://allecto.tumblr.com/
Alysia Krasnow Butler at http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/
Annette Harkness at http://www.aspiegrrl.wordpress.com/
Britt Kravets http://blackbird3398.wordpress.com/
Corabelle Li Crol/Kiwisunset at http://aspiegirlworld.blogspot.com/
Corina Becker at http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/
Craig Thomson (founder of the Autism Survival Manual) at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=1615DA2A6C723EA6&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_195863
Ed Ised at http://diversityrules.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Elaine Caul at http://one-autistic-in-ireland.blogspot.com/
Elesia Ashkenazy at http://www.aspitude.blogspot.com/
Elspeth Thorne at http://ysabet.thorne.id.au/2010/10/on-growing-up-as-alien-robot-among.html
Gerry Lockhart at http://www.ASandTheirPartners.org/
Heather Sedlock at http://heatherbabes.autisable.com/
Ivonne Delaflor at http://www.spiritualfaceofautism.webs.com/
Julia at http://flashbackdreamsequence.blogspot.com/ and http://theskinofourteeth.tumblr.com/
Julian Frost at http://africanjungle.iblog.co.za and http://autismjungle.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/autistics-spoke-and-you-listened/
Kathryn Bjornstad at http://www.autistickat.blogspot.com/
Leah Jane at http://quixoticautistic.blogspot.com/
Liz Ditz at http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams
Lynette Pelley at http://myfamilyandmore.piczo.com/?cr=7
Marianne Russo at http://thecoffeeklatchblog.blogspot.com/
Matt Friedman at http://dudeimanaspie.blogspot.com/
Melissa Fields at http://iamautistic---thisismylife.blogspot.com/
Melody Latimer at http://www.asparenting.com/
Nick Walker at http://www.nickykaa.com/
Nicole Nicholson at http://womanwithaspergers.com/
Paula C. Durbin-Westby at www.paulacdurbinwestbyautisticblog.blogspot.com
Pamela Harvey at http://www.thestampedenvelope.blogspot.com/
Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg at http://www.journeyswithautism.com/
Sarah Schneider at http://www.kitaiskasandwich.com/
Savannah Nicole Logsdon-Breakstone at http://crackedmirrorinshalott.wordpress.com/
Sheal Mellin-Berube at http://thenaturalmama.wordpress.com/
Tony Belcastro at http://elsmystery.com/
Vector at http://www.thautcast.com/
Autistics Speaking Day has a permanent Facebook event page at Autistics Speaking Day.
You can also find a list of blogs by people on the autism spectrum at Autism Blogs Directory.
For more information about autism and autism spectrum disorders, I recommend Neurodiversity.com, which has links to many excellent opinion articles and scholarly sources.
*In quoting the article, I decided to replace the words "mental retardation" and "retarded" with "cognitive impairment" and "cognitively delayed." Although "mentally retarded" was once the preferred medical term, I prefer not to use it, because it has so often been used against people with disabilities.
For those who aren't familiar with autism, this very good article by Jared Blackburn on the site Autistics.Org does an excellent job of explaining what it's like to live with autism. As the article explains:
"Autism is a developmental disability of the brain, much like dyslexia, cognitive impairment*, or attention deficit disorder. Autism is not a form of cognitive impairment, and though many autistic people appear to function as cognitively delayed, they are frequently quite intelligent. […]
The word autism may actually refer to several similar disabilities, including Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, and 'Atypical' Autism (a type of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified). Though there are some differences between these conditions, they are quite similar, and those who have them experience many of the same difficulties in life.
The symptoms of autism can vary widely from one individual to the next. Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder because it ranges in severity across a wide range of conditions, like the colors of a rainbow. In addition, some people may be affected more by one symptom, while others may be affected more strongly by a different symptom. Also, some of the symptoms may have variable manifestations."
Autistics Speaking Day was created as a response to Communication Shutdown, an event which encourages non-autistic people to avoid posting on Twitter or Facebook for a day, in order to spread awareness about autism. Communication Shutdown was intended partly as a way for non-autistic people to experience some of the social isolation that many people on the autism spectrum feel. However, Communication Shutdown has been criticized by many in the autism community, for a variety of reasons. Here's what neko_no_baka had to say about Communication Shutdown on her autism activism blog No Stereotypes Here:
"As I've previously stated, November 1st is Communication Shutdown, and from the responses, it seems that more and more people are questioning the method of this Autism awareness event. As has been pointed out by bbsmom, it spreads the myth that autistic people don't communicate, when in truth, we communicate in many different ways. While the attempt to understand our difficulties is admirable, I don't think that a non-autistic person can fully understand an autistic reality, even with some intense simulations."
In response to Communication Shutdown, she called for November 1 to be Autistics Speaking Day, a day for people on the autism spectrum to raise their voices and be heard. Here's how she describes the purpose of Autistics Speaking Day:
"While this is certainly a response to Communication Shutdown, whether it is a counter-event or protest of the Shutdown depends on whether or not you agree with Shutdown. This can be a complementary event, an alternative event or a counter-protest event. We can agree to disagree on the details about this. What matters though, is that people participate. […]
The name for it doesn't matter. This is a day that is supposed to be about spreading Autism Awareness, therefore it's OUR day. It doesn't just belong to me, it belongs to all of us, and what matters is that we stand together to raise Autism awareness."
"Let us use this day to flood every social networking site we know with our accounts, our experiences, what it feels like to be Autistic.
Every sensory pain, every communication frustration, every account of being bullied, every wondrous moment, every peaceful calm, every instant of understanding and joy.
Let them hear our voices and take back the Autism community.
Let us speak.
Let us tell you what it's like to be us."
While there's a lot that I could say about issues around autism rights, I feel that this should be a day for autistics to speak up, and for non-autistics like me to listen. So, instead of getting on my personal soapbox, I'm just going to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to check out Neko's excellent autism activism blog, and to share some of the many blogs and videos posted by the participants of Autistics Speaking Day:
Allecto Moore at http://allecto.tumblr.com/
Alysia Krasnow Butler at http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/
Annette Harkness at http://www.aspiegrrl.wordpress.com/
Britt Kravets http://blackbird3398.wordpress.com/
Corabelle Li Crol/Kiwisunset at http://aspiegirlworld.blogspot.com/
Corina Becker at http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/
Craig Thomson (founder of the Autism Survival Manual) at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=1615DA2A6C723EA6&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_195863
Ed Ised at http://diversityrules.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Elaine Caul at http://one-autistic-in-ireland.blogspot.com/
Elesia Ashkenazy at http://www.aspitude.blogspot.com/
Elspeth Thorne at http://ysabet.thorne.id.au/2010/10/on-growing-up-as-alien-robot-among.html
Gerry Lockhart at http://www.ASandTheirPartners.org/
Heather Sedlock at http://heatherbabes.autisable.com/
Ivonne Delaflor at http://www.spiritualfaceofautism.webs.com/
Julia at http://flashbackdreamsequence.blogspot.com/ and http://theskinofourteeth.tumblr.com/
Julian Frost at http://africanjungle.iblog.co.za and http://autismjungle.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/autistics-spoke-and-you-listened/
Kathryn Bjornstad at http://www.autistickat.blogspot.com/
Leah Jane at http://quixoticautistic.blogspot.com/
Liz Ditz at http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams
Lynette Pelley at http://myfamilyandmore.piczo.com/?cr=7
Marianne Russo at http://thecoffeeklatchblog.blogspot.com/
Matt Friedman at http://dudeimanaspie.blogspot.com/
Melissa Fields at http://iamautistic---thisismylife.blogspot.com/
Melody Latimer at http://www.asparenting.com/
Nick Walker at http://www.nickykaa.com/
Nicole Nicholson at http://womanwithaspergers.com/
Paula C. Durbin-Westby at www.paulacdurbinwestbyautisticblog.blogspot.com
Pamela Harvey at http://www.thestampedenvelope.blogspot.com/
Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg at http://www.journeyswithautism.com/
Sarah Schneider at http://www.kitaiskasandwich.com/
Savannah Nicole Logsdon-Breakstone at http://crackedmirrorinshalott.wordpress.com/
Sheal Mellin-Berube at http://thenaturalmama.wordpress.com/
Tony Belcastro at http://elsmystery.com/
Vector at http://www.thautcast.com/
Autistics Speaking Day has a permanent Facebook event page at Autistics Speaking Day.
You can also find a list of blogs by people on the autism spectrum at Autism Blogs Directory.
For more information about autism and autism spectrum disorders, I recommend Neurodiversity.com, which has links to many excellent opinion articles and scholarly sources.
*In quoting the article, I decided to replace the words "mental retardation" and "retarded" with "cognitive impairment" and "cognitively delayed." Although "mentally retarded" was once the preferred medical term, I prefer not to use it, because it has so often been used against people with disabilities.