Hi just letting y’all know that Sia, the artist, is making what is essentially a big “F you” to autistic people. She is collaborating with Autism Speaks which is an organization that believes autism is something to be cured and treats autistic people like burdens. It is another run of the mill inspiration p**n movie for non autistic people and able bodied people to feel like they have compassion and understanding for us. For any of you who are not autistic and are able bodied, please do not support this film as it perpetuates bad stereotypes about autism and disabled individuals.
The fact that she used a neurotypical actress to represent a neurodivergent character definitely isn’t great, but on its own it really isn’t the end of the world.
But her rude responses to people being upset? Her shitty treatment to her autistic fans? Her shitty treatment to Maddie, the actress who was uncomfortable with her role? Her partnering with fucking Autism Speaks? Absolutely disgusting. Straight ableism.
Try harder.
I queued this a little while ago so I feel that I should add that Autism Speaks themselves put out a disclaimer saying they had no part in what Sia did and disagree with her actions.
The god awful ableist hate group is doing better than her. That’s low.
Hi just letting y’all know that Sia, the artist, is making what is essentially a big “F you” to autistic people. She is collaborating with Autism Speaks which is an organization that believes autism is something to be cured and treats autistic people like burdens. It is another run of the mill inspiration p**n movie for non autistic people and able bodied people to feel like they have compassion and understanding for us. For any of you who are not autistic and are able bodied, please do not support this film as it perpetuates bad stereotypes about autism and disabled individuals.
The fact that she used a neurotypical actress to represent a neurodivergent character definitely isn’t great, but on its own it really isn’t the end of the world.
But her rude responses to people being upset? Her shitty treatment to her autistic fans? Her shitty treatment to Maddie, the actress who was uncomfortable with her role? Her partnering with fucking Autism Speaks? Absolutely disgusting. Straight ableism.
I wanted to take the time to share this survey I’ll be working on for my research paper this semester. The topic is autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how societal variables such as gender norms, race, and socioeconomic statues may influence individual’s with ASD. This is a rarely touched upon topic in sociology, but one I believe is very important to understand.
To take part in this survey, you must be either medically or self-diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and be 18 years old or older. If you or someone else you know fit the criteria, I would truly appreciate it if you’d take the time to complete this short survey so that I may collect further data on the topic.
Even if you are unable to take the survey yourself, it’ll help if you can share and reblog this survey link to spread the word:
I don’t think people realize how hard overstimulation is. I’ve been literally in pain because my muscles keep tensing bc I’m overstimulated. I can hardly eat today, or process sights and sounds. I feel like I’m unable to get things done because I physically can’t do things or else I’ll have a breakdown. It just feels like everything is too much and it’s so upsetting. My headphones are dead And that’s the worst thing to happen on a day like this. Overstimulation can just fuck up a whole day.
Now I’m in my 24th year on earth I want to start being more open about my Autism. My art has always been an outlet for navigating my feelings of disconnect from others, as well as my struggle to grasp my inner thoughts and emotions. I feel very honoured that people find my way of expressing this experience interesting, so thank you all so much for being here
Tired of having an allistic chosen month be all about how allistics should be aware of or accept you?…Tired of allistic feelings being centered and spending a month defending yourself?… Welcome to Autgust! Grab your denim jacket and chew toy and lets ROCK OUT.
The prompts above are just fun suggestions. Celebrate any way you want. This month is for YOU.There are no rules - just rebellion.
Allies can reblog and share, but should not participate.<3
image transcription below:
1. Selfie! (or portrait, etc)
2. Special Interests
3. Autistic Memes
4. Intersectional Disabilities
5. Pets & Service Animals
6. Favorite Autistic Animal Mascot
7. Self Diagnosed⛅
8. Sign Language & Alternative Communication
9. Autigender ⚧
10. Autistic Adults
11. ACTUAL Autism Parents (Autistic Parents)
12. Autistic Kids (4 Autistic Youth to SELF Advocate)
13. Queer Pride️
14. Favorite Autistic Characters (& Headcanons)
~SENSORY WEEK~
15. Light
16. Sound
17. Texture
18. Smells
19. Favorite Foods
20. Your Stims!
21. Flapping Pride
~~~
22. Autistics of Color✊
23. Nonverbal 2 Hyperverbal
24. Introverts 2 Extroverts
25. Autistic Love❤
26. Neuropunk Looks
27. VENT(Ableists get lost.)
28. Trans Autistics️⚧️
29. Autistic Artists
30. Autistic Writers and Stories
31. Autistic Rebellion
(You know what? Maybe steal september and make it “allistic awareness month”)
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all autistics & autistic cousins are created equal; that all are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Agency, Acceptance, & the pursuit of Happiness; that the pursuit of happiness can take many forms, including but not limited to Stimming both with & without Toys, seeking and avoiding Sensory experiences, & interacting with Special Interests & HyperFixations.
– That to secure these rights, Advocacy groups are instituted among Men, deriving their just missions from the consent of the affected,
– That whenever any Form of Advocacy becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Forms of Advocacy, laying their foundation on such principles and organizing their powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Advocacy Groups long established should not be abandoned for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that autistics and autistic cousins are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism and Eugenics, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Advocacy Groups and provide new Advocates for their future security.
–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Autistics and Autistic Cousins; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to overthrow their externally imposed Systems of Advocacy. The history of the present Autistic Awareness Movement, as embodied by its largest proponent, Autism Speaks, is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute removal of Atypical Traits from these Autistics and Autistic Cousins.
To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. among many concerns, we draw attention now to chiefly the following:
They have refused to acknowledge the opinions and intelligence of actually Autistic persons and Autistic cousins.
They have refused to respect the agency of actually Autistic persons and Autistic cousins, except wherein those persons make the choice desired of them.
They have supported and continue to support such barbaric forms of ‘intervention’ as ABA therapy, despite knowing the horrific roots of such strategies and its close relation to the nearly universally denounced torture of conversion therapy.
They have supported and continue to support measures of eugenics, such as funding research into the 'cause’ of such atypicalities and funding research into possible 'cures’.
They have contributed to stigma and fearmongering among the general population, furthering a narrative that tells society that autism is a monster stealing their children away, a narrative that lends itself to despair, pity, and increased sympathy for such evils as filicide.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Advocacy Group whose character is thus marked by every act which may define an Enemy, is unfit to be the advocate of any people.
We, therefore, the Nebulous Masses of Autistics and Autistic Cousins, Assembled and Connected via the Internet and Blogosphere, appealing to the Moral Arc of the Universe in the Belief that it Shall Bend toward Justice, do, in the Name, and by Authority of Our Own Minds and Will, solemnly publish and declare, That these Autistics and Autistic Cousins are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent Self-Advocates; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the Autistic Awareness Movement, and that as Free and Independent Self-Advocates, they have full Power to lobby Legislatures, make their Own Decisions, protest Indignities and Betrayals, and to do all other Acts and Things which Living Persons may of right do.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the belief in the Inherent Human Desire to Do Good, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
I think it’s notable that both panic about vaccines causing autism and panic about trans children suffering “rapid onset gender dysphoria” rely specifically on *parents’ perceptions and narratives of their children*. Turning “mother knows best” into an epistemological framework lol
Self-determination is a privilege we only extend to abled adults. Children’s rights now, disabled people’s rights now.
I saw the phrase “Rapid Onset Parents Knowing About It” on twitter something like… two weeks ago? And that lives in my head rent-free now.
Sharing this headcanon I have in honor of Autism Acceptance Month ♡
Disclaimer under the cut
Disclaimer: I’m aware that the disabled villain trope is problematic in itself and Venable is kind of a jerk, so I’d like to make it 100% clear that this hc’s come from a place of love and care, it is something that brings me a lot of comfort. Also I’m not demonizing these autistic traits (some of which I present myself), nor am I trying to use them to excuse any of Venable’s actions.
I know I post a lot of positivity and I stand by that but life with autism isn’t always super easy and its totally okay to struggle with it. Its okay not to always feel thrilled about it; feeling like that doesn’t make you a bad person. Just remember that you are fantastic for who you are. Accepting yourself or your diagnosis might be a process and that’s absolutely fine. Autism acceptance month isn’t just about others accepting us, for a lot of people its about working toward self acceptance too!
I have something I wanna say - no one has a right to speak for the whole autistic community. Autism $peaks certainly don’t but nor do I or anyone else. Everyone’s experience of Autism is individual and so are people’s opinions toward it. However, sharing your experiences of autism & opinions is vital in building the community and changing how autism is thought of across the world. I hope I’m adding my voice & experiences to the community but if you feel differently (so long as you are being respectful towards others) to my posts that’s also fine! I am only speaking for me & my view.
Your voice and your experience matters!!!
(Please be kind & respectful towards others though, I do not tolerate abusive comments or threats - thank you)
i feel like so many allistic people who consider themselves allies to autistic people are actually seriously lacking in both autism acceptance and even basic awareness of what autism means. like so many people call themselves allies but only seem to know about autism from like. autistic memes online, which tend to either fall into the “so relatable” category or the “autism rules! hate autism moms™!” category, or like the interminable discourse about irredeemable media and cringe special interests.
anyway, if you’re allistic and you want to be an ally to autistic people, actually learn about autism beyond like. flapping and encyclopedic knowledge of steven’s universe. seriously consider whether you know anything about echolalia and pronoun reversal, or uneven cognitive profiles, or types of AAC, or common commorbidities (such as eating disorders, epilepsy, and GI disorders), or intellectual disability, or why ABA therapy is abusive (not just that it is, but why), or “wandering”/“elopement”, or inability to read other people’s emotions, or the fusiform face area, or perseveration and cognitive rigidity, or scripting, or sensory accommodations, or self injurious behavior, or selective mutism, or processing speed, or routines, or common misdiagnoses. like. don’t pretend you accept us and support us without even knowing who we are.
pronoun reversal: using second or third person to refer to yourself, often goes hand in hand with echolalia
fusiform face area: a part of the brain that is dedicated to recognizing faces. may be underactive or used for other purposes in autistic people. part of why so many of us can’t recognize people
perseveration and cognitive rigidity: getting stuck on certain ideas or rules and concepts, unable to move on or look at alternatives
routines can be part of perseveration, for example i always have to have my coffee from the same cup and use the same spoon. if i can’t find my spoon, i start to fall apart and it ruins the rest of my day.
AAC: alternative and augmentative communication, aka ways of communicating that aren’t talking verbally. please look this one up to see the full range of what it can mean
uneven cognitive profiles: having very high skills in some areas and very low skills in other areas
processing speed: is one of those areas that’s often much lower in autistic people. same with language comprehension being lower than visual reasoning.
selective mutism: becoming unable to speak when overwhelmed. not the same thing as being always nonverbal. also happens in anxiety disorders.
wandering/elopement: leaving the place you’re supposed to be (for kids), getting lost. not the same thing as premeditatedly running away from home (please stop mixing them up. that’s why i included this in the list. an autistic seven year old who wanders away from a school field trip because they got overwhelmed and didn’t know how to ask to go home is not intentionally trying to run away forever). i used to do this because it didn’t occur to me to tell people when i wanted to leave when i was overwhelmed, and would just walk away from my grandparents’ house or my sister’s soccer games and my parents would have no idea where i was when they noticed i was gone.
anyway, this is just a couple of things to get people started. please don’t make this post the be all and end all of learning about what autism actually entails! autism is a really broad label for a lot of different experiences. you can’t be an ally if you have no knowledge beyond “flappy hands and talks funny”
“fusiform face area” - what. WHAT. You mean this isn’t just semi-faceblindness I have? It’s an autistic thing? D: The things you learn!
i have been super self conscious abt my public & compulsive verbal stimming recently so if u r autistic/adhd/add/another stimming neurodivergency & have verbal stims/echolalia/palilalia please reblog with ur current favourite sound, word, or phrase! it’ll make me feel a little less alone:“)
mine is a high pitch "nnnyA nnnyA nnnyA nnnyaA nnnyA” & “wow” :D
It’s not enough to just be aware. This is why we try to change “Autism Awareness Month” to “Autism Acceptance Month!” It’s better to learn about autism and how to accept it ❤️ ♾
Many assume that autistic people aren’t good at making friends, but we can thrive in social environments that better suit our needs. This comic is all about making friends on the internet as an autistic person! ✨
![A single square image of a drawing where a tired looking shadowed figure huddles under a mountain of various colored desaturated blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals, on top of a bed in a blank room. The slanted window behind them shows a less saturated, slightly brighter, nice spring day with a pink and blooming tree against a pale blue sky. The silhouettes of shades (or blinds) are drawn at intervals over the window, making the light that has been cast onto the bed and onto the floor of the dark, blank room striped. Crowded above the bed, and above the tired shadowy face, are floating pointy white boxes of various ableist speech, with the lightning bolt shaped tails of the boxes pointing off in various directions. The various speech boxes say: "...Autism Drive for Autism Speaks [heart symbol]", "A.B.A. does wonders!", ", Look at these puzzle peice shirts! [puzzle peice shirt]", "My child has autism so...", "[hashtag] Light it Up Blue!", "Awareness month... [awareness ribbon symbol]" At the bottom of the image, beneath the bed, is white text standing out against the darkness that says: "Wake Me Up When April Ends"](https://64.media.tumblr.com/1e568d583ca375b054fa891720fe374f/d5c8ce214ffcdb16-9e/s640x960/c36a0bbbaa155402334adfd5e62077ca4b08792e.png)
