Autistic Goblin

So on my Facebook page and Reddit I shared a picture of AspiGurl Comic with a story about what happened to me on Facebook mere moments earlier. The support I got from the Autism Community on multiple platforms was just phenomenal. The post was shared lots more than I thought my little vent would ever go. Facebook Post

I was in a kind of support group for whatever people wanted to talk about and I posted about not supporting Autism Speaks or Lighting it up blue this coming April. For those that don’t know April is known as Autism Awareness (should be Acceptance) Month. Autism Speaks is a horrible organization that claims to help and speak for the Autism Community.

They do neither and constantly spread false information about Autism that does great harm to the community it claims to want to help.

My original post also told people not to use the puzzle piece symbol as it’s not recognized by the Autistic Community. That’s when a warrior mom told me that she has a son and husband on the spectrum and he loves the puzzle piece so it’s okay. I told her the symbols that the Community actually use and was told it was just my opinion. Another mom was quick to join with her son’s puzzle piece crafts that they sell. They also told me to do my research… yeah I’M on the spectrum but this neurotypical was telling me to do research and how the symbols the community uses are wrong.

First off HELL TO THE NO, the puzzle piece has been rejected not just by me personally but by the international Autism Community. It’s not some lie I made up to disrupt her perfect little world. I see this often in the community where parents are the “voice” of their Autistic kids. I also warned people against Sia and her HORRENDOUS portrayal of non verbal autism. Warrior Moms attacked me on that too.

Nothing horrifies me more than that. Want to know the scariest words in the English language? “ It’s for your/their own good” those words have justified so much cruelty and pain in the world. Children don’t need their parents to be their voice because even if they are non verbal they still communicate. In fact the deaf/mute community that aren’t Autistic communicate quite well, would you be their “voice” as well. I won’t speak for that community as I’m not one of them but the logic is sound.

People on the spectrum need to be listened to and not ignored for the sake of their parents/therapists/experts/etc.. There are some great groups out there that DO listen and involve everyone with the process but Autism Speaks is NOT one of them.

The Autism community has developed our own symbols to use so for the love of all that is holy use them. We actually have multiple symbols but I prefer to use the symbol fromAutistic Self Advocacy Network myself.

As of this post my Reddit post had almost 300 upvotes, my facebook page has reached well over 1,000 people. Wow, just Wow.