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.
April 4th: Are there any topics regarding autism that you feel don’t get discussed enough?
Yes, lots! But I think the #1 thing I would like to see discussed more is the problem of infantilization. I want this talked about more because it’s the #1 mistake I see well-meaning allistic people make (especially but not exclusively able-bodied, neurotypical people).
What is infantilization?
To infantilize someone means to “treat [them] as a child or in a way which denies their maturity in age or experience” (from Oxford Languages). Wikipedia calls it “the prolonged treatment of one who has a mental capacity greater than that of a child as though they are a child,” and notes that “Studies have shown that an individual, when infantilized, is overwhelmingly likely to feel disrespected. Such individuals may report a sense of transgression akin to dehumanization.”
What does the infantilization of autistic people look like?
This is not a complete list (my autistic siblings, feel free to add on):
Elevating the voices of parents of autistic kids and allowing them to be the main storytellers of the story of autism (which leads to the story perpetually being about autistic children)
Presuming autistic people are dependent on others to speak and make decisions for them even as adults (I am what most allistics would call “high functioning” and even I have this happen! I’m sure it’s even worse for people who struggle more with masking)
Treating autistic social peers like a young child or a cute dog (I’ve had people use the exact same voice on me that they’d use on pets), instead of true friendship or the respect offered to an equal
Making fun of autistic-like traits but specifically making exceptions for people who are actually autistic, implying both that autistic behavior is worth derision and that we’re too mentally incompetent to be held to the same standards (“Don’t make fun of her for that, she’s autistic!”)
Making a big dealing of autistic people doing regular things (getting a job, getting married, etc)
Portraying our friends, partners, employers, etc as generous saints who only befriend/date/hire us as charity (“oh it’s so nice of her to ask that autistic boy to prom!” or “local shop gives autistic young adult a job!”) rather than because we’re good friends, partners or employees
Thinking autistic people are incapable of understanding or having relationships, including sexual relationships
Not teaching basic sex ed to special ed students, even tho many of them are physically capable and curious like most teens and are more vulnerable to abuse which makes learning about sex even more important
Headcanoning all autistic-coded characters as asexual due to their autistic traits (it is OKAY to have ace autistic characters, but if you headcanon every autistic coded character as ace, ask why—is it bc you see autistic traits as childlike?)
Also in fandom, describing autistic coded characters as “perfect smol beans” or “stupid idiot babies” etc (this happens to ADHD coded characters too)
Talking about autistic people as tho we’re all pure, innocent beings (we’re not anymore than other people, and if we are naive it is often due to information and experiences being kept from us, like autistic kids not being taught about sex)
Basically, if you treat autistic people like oversized children who can’t have real friendships, romantic/sexual relationships, jobs, or other adult accomplishments, and your response to seeing any autistic people doing these things is the attitude of “oh cute, it thinks it’s a person,” you are infantilizing us. Please stop.
Non-autistic people, I would love if you’d reblog this. Like I said, it is the #1 thing I see well-meaning allistic people doing. It is humiliating, degrading, and dehumanizing. Please help more people learn about this so they’ll stop doing it.
This is from last year but it’s worth reblogging, because this problem has not gone away.
