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Why is Autism Speaks bad?

Caelix3

Caelix3

Well-Known Member
I was wondering why Autism Speaks is bad. I hear so many people saying it is bad, in the autism community. I was wondering why it is bad, as I don't understand. I saw a group member wearing an autism speaks shirt in the group that I go to. The group is for people with autism or people on the spectrum. I told one of the therapists, I heard autism speaks is bad. Do you know why? She said she had no idea. So I told her I would ask on the forum I go on.
 
I wondered the same thing at first, though it's far more involved that this short list, these are the main points of objection:
1) They have as a stated goal of "curing autism"... while this may have been something to aspire to at first (20 years ago)... now that we know and understand that autism has a real, biologic, brain structure basis a "cure" is not realistic. Despite even organizational internal objection, that goal has not changed.
2) The organization is run by all NT people, the CEO, board members, etc. In other words, a bunch of NTs telling people with ASD what's good for them, instead of asking people with ASD.
3) There have been a number of objectionable portrayals of autism funded by or made by the organization that actively encourage an able-ism discrimination.
 
Saw a video of a young boy with autism singing the national anthem at a red sox game, he did a wonderful job.

He was promoted by autism speaks, when someone at the end of the song attempted to stop his stimming (think it may have been his Mom), because he was nervous and excited.

It made me really angry because it was about them and how they felt, not about the boy who trying to cope with all the noise and sensory static. The fact that they may have put him out there in the first place, when they knew about his sensory difficulties is another issue entirely.

 
ive absolutely hated their portrayal of classic autism and also their denial of any other form of autism on the spectrum.
they treated those of us with classic autism as being unable to speak for ourselves in any format and in need of a cure,and they originally denied aspergers and HFA existed.
i fought to be listened to on their very first forum but about 99% supporters were all curbies who didnt believe my expericnes [i was classed under severe at the time and was also non verbal]-they said people with LFA cannot use computers or communicate through them, i had wished they were able to visit me to see my life as well as the life of my then fellow [awful institutional] residential home house mate;michael who was LFA and profoundly autistic-he was a pro on the computer and the internet in spite of him being in his own world 24/7,he loved it and i know he would hate to be cured.

they couldnt understand my opinion about not wanting a cure because i love the good sides i got from my autism like my total passion for animals and my innocent childlike view of the world while still being smart in some respects, the ones who believed aspergers was a form of autism only believed aspergers shoudnt be cured and couldnt get it into their heads that just because we have more complex and challenging autism it doesnt mean we cant enjoy the lives we have. and id never accept change and cure myself;why would i when change is one of the biggest hates in my life?
ive never understood why we should change ourselves because we make it harder for other people,yes adapt maybe but not change,we are all on this planet for a reason.
 
toothless said:
they said people with LFA cannot use computers or communicate through them
Click to expand...
I'm guessing this was a few years ago now and the may have adjusted their attitude somewhat but it's still an incredibly stupid and ignorant statement to make and perfectly highlights what's wrong with them as an organisation.

I wonder how they reacted to the video of the nonverbal autistic girl who was given the chance to talk through her computer and proved herself to be more articulate and intelligent than a lot of the general population.

Autism Speaks is like a slightly less vile and hateful version of tumblr activists and their type. Talking about something they don't fully understand and have no reason to fight for other than a sense of moral superiority.
 
They claim to be experts in the field of autism yet they know **** all about how to approach the subject to, you know, human beings. In other words, they're a entity that makes noxious gas expulsions.
 
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