A drop of Autistic realness. Welcome back.

It's been a while since last I wrote anything here, so I have decided to put fingers to keyboard and wish my fellow Autistics peace of mind this April on this last day of March, as we all know April is a sort of hell for Autistic people where instead of people signal boosting our voices they instead drown us out in a sea of "Autism Awareness" and puzzle pieces. April was renamed and reclaimed Autism Acceptance Month years ago by us and many of us fought long and hard for this to be so, especially me, but still non-Autistic people who are truly not our allies in any way, shape, or form continue to support the hate-monger of a "supposed" charity "in support" of Autistics, Aut$peaks, which has been proven time and time again from their financials to you name it that they would rather we not exist further emphasized by their tone policing us at every turn and attempting to silence our voices. I close by urging you to NOT Light it Up Blue this April, but instead if you truly want to support Autistic people please Wear Red Instead and string rainbow fairy lights in celebration of Autism Acceptance Day and Autism Acceptance Month, also donate to Autistic run organizations like Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN) (awnnetwork.org) and buy from Autistic creators. Thank you. ☮️🐳

Happy Autism Acceptance Month and Autism Acceptance Day!

 It is time to celebrate our Autistic differences.

Never be ashamed of who you are!

Of Autism Acceptance Day and Autism Acceptance Month

To all who read this blog...


I am writing to ask you to wear RED and encourage your family to do so too, not blue, on April 2nd to show your support for me and other Autistics!  Autistics, our family members, our friends, and other allies are going to #WalkInRed that day. 

The #WalkInRed campaign is an effort by #ActuallyAutistic individuals to rally support for #AutismAcceptance.  This campaign thrives on Facebook and Twitter, it is in conjunction with #BoycottAutismSpeaks.  To find out more about it please click here:

http://walkinred.weebly.com/about.html

Thank you for not Lighting It Up Blue with Autism Speaks, but instead standing in support of Autistic people and wearing RED.

April is Autism Acceptance Month.  Here is a great video that will describe more about Autism Acceptance Month, etc.  Ask an Autistic - Why Acceptance? Autism Acceptance Month  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XhbHIgm438

An Open Letter About Autism Acceptance to Pope Francis from Amy Sequenzia

January 12, 2015, by Autistic activist Amy Sequenzia, posted on the Autism Women’s Network site 

Dear Pope Francis: 

I think I am supposed to call you “Your Holiness”. I am here to teach you some important things about Autism, about being Autistic, and about Autism Speaks. 

You recently met with Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, and your lack of understanding about my neurology and about who I am makes it look like you don’t care about social justice. 

Yes, I am Autistic, Disabled and proud. 

I don’t want pity. 

I don’t need Ms. Wright’s hateful words. 

Autism Speaks does not speak for me. 

I will use her speech to teach you and show why cure and prevention of Autism go against my human rights. 

I will “translate” the speech, I will tell you the real meaning of Suzanne Wright’s words. 

First, you need to know what Autism Speaks really stands for: hate. 

Autism Speaks raises money by demonizing people like me, and by martyring parents, as if parenting Autistics is a burden, and a tragic living. 

Autism Speaks also ignores Autistic adults, people like me, very disabled and very proud of my neurology. 

Now, the speech. 

Suzanne Wright starts by saying Autism is a health crisis. 

Wrong. We are not diseased or Disordered. Autism is our identity, like the color of our skin. Is there a “black people health crisis”? An “Asian health crisis”? I think you get my point. 

She says that “Autism families” suffer. She can’t even use the correct words. Autism families are only a thing if all the members are Autistic. 

The only suffering comes through her hateful rhetoric and stigmatization. 

What she really meant was that in her distorted view of Autism, all Autistics cause suffering to non-Autistic family members. See how she does not see us as sentient beings? 

Then she talks about how everyone is tired of us, the extreme work for no reward. She does not sound too concerned with her faith. Doesn’t the Catholic Church teach that heaven is for the poor and humble? 

She mentions the lack of information about Autism, purposefully leaving out how Autism Speaks, under her guidance, misinforms the public. 

She briefly mentions her grandson, trying to paint him as pitiful. Well, I am an adult with a lot of needs and my friends say I am pretty awesome. 

Suzanne Wright not only diminishes Autistic people’s experiences of the world, she also shows her ableism toward people who have Hansen’s disease, referring to them as lepers. 

To her, we are to be viewed as undesirable, unapproachable, not to be touched, while our parents are saints, doing (according to her) the ultimate act of love a parent of an Autistic person can do: look at us. 

This is a very messed up statement, from a supposedly loving grandmother. 

To Suzanne Wright, Autistic people do not deserve appreciation or respect for just being. We are only to be valued if we can be, act and look “less Autistic”. 

Then, she calls us not human enough. She states that we don’t learn, worry, rejoice, live. She decided that our dreams and wishes are unimportant and not worthy of anyone’s attention. 

What Suzanne Wright says her organization does is simply a lie. The truth is that Autism Speaks uses only 3% of the donations it receives to help Autistics and their families. Autistics adults are not even considered by the organization. Most of the money raised is to enrich executives and to find a genetic marker, with this objective: selective abortions. And she brought St. Francis to the conversation. How can the Catholic Church reconcile it’s rejection of abortion, yet allow a speech from someone whose mission in life is to find a way to, through selective abortion, make sure people like me do not exist? 

The isolation, harassment, shame and disgrace she mentions should be spelled out as the mission statement of her organization, since that’s what Autism Speaks engages on with full force. 

The blue light she talks about? It magically turns into green dollars, used in propaganda that demonizes us, martyrs our families, and ignores our voices. Propaganda like her speech to you. 

The lies about how she really feels about us don’t change the reality of what her organization promotes: her “village” is not welcoming to, or safe for us, Autistics who just want to be, to exist. 

Suzanne Wright lacks humbleness. She believes that she is on a mission to rid the world of Autism, of Autistics. She does not listen to the many Autistics saying that our lives are worthy, that she is wrong and hurtful. But her goal of portraying Autism as a devastating disease, of portraying Autistics as less than useless human beings, is advanced by her savvy marketing skills. She uses fear to spread hate – packaged as compassion – and she uses her wealth to gain access. 

She gained access to you, dear Pope Francis. 

She spread her lies, disguised as a call to love.

You now know the truth, easily confirmed by how she directs her organization. 

I am Autistic, Disabled and proud. 

I know what Autism is. 

Your Holiness, are you going to silence me? Are you going to deny my wholeness, my perfect humanity, as imperfect as all humans are, still deserving of a life free from hateful attacks? 

Suzanne Wright has an agenda and it goes against my right to exist.

What are you going to do in support of my right to be, just as I am? 

What are you going to do about all Autistics right to exist, just like we are? 

Happy Mother's Day to Autistic Mothers!

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers today, especially to Autistic mothers.  Autistic mothers are mothers who are Autistic, am not referring to Neurotypical mothers of Autistic children.  Contrary to lies that a certain “charity” spread about us, we Autistics can and do fall in love and have children.  We Autistics see the world differently and may parent our children differently than other mothers, mainly our NT counterparts, but that does not mean that what we are doing is wrong.  We too deserve respect and to be celebrated.  Happy Mother’s Day to our Autistic mothers!! 

Autism Acceptance Attacked, but NOT Defeated!

As you know in November of 2011 my board voted unanimously to call April in Northern Virginia Autism Acceptance Month at my suggestion, awareness is not enough. 

For our first celebration in April 2012 I made a sign for my front yard that stated “April is Autism Acceptance Month”, I decorated it with flowers, waterproofed it, taped it to an old yard sign and placed it in a flowerbed facing the street, every year since then it has spent the whole of April cheerily sharing my message with passersby that was until last evening. 

I was headed out to church when I noticed it lying on the front walk sans yard sign, I assumed that it had somehow come unstuck, the best case scenario I could dream up knowing full well I had made sure to tape it securely with duct tape to the yard sign.  After closer investigation I discovered that it had been cut off the yard sign and then tossed onto our front walk.  The covering had been slashed.  Fortunately the sign within had not been damaged.  I was angered and close to having a meltdown.  I quickly gathered it up and ran back into my house, I was fuming.  I showed it to my mother who was surprised that the sign had been attacked, but fortunately my mother knew the right thing to say to keep me from fully melting down, so off to church I went.

While I was at church she had been looking at the sign and noticed that the lettering had started to fade due to two Aprils worth of sunlight, she therefore suggested that I should touch up the letters and make it better than it was.  I in turn told her that I had concluded during church that the individual who had committed the act did not know what Acceptance was and that I would put my sign up again, showing the world that Acceptance cannot be so easily defeated.  It is now freshly re-erected.

I am Autistic and Proud and no one can take that away from me!

No Time Like the Present

“(Right now) Hey! It's your tomorrow. (Right now) Come on, it's everything. (Right now) Catch that magic moment. And do it right here and now. It means everything.” - Right Now by Van Halen – song excerpt

I have started this post with an excerpt from Van Halen’s song titled Right Now due to the fact that it is up to us to change this world for the better and make a world of Acceptance instead of one of fear and hate. 

Once again it is the start of Autism Acceptance Month here in Northern Virginia, our 3rd celebration thanks to my urging in 2011, this time right on the heels of the CDC’s latest statistical release which will of course add tinder to the fire for the supposed “Autism crisis”, we are now 1 in 68.  The masses have already begun to sound the outcry.  There is no crisis, there never was, people are confusing access with crisis, we have always been here, it is just that people are having more access to information sharing and access to diagnosticians, etc.  The internet has played a big part in this exchange for example.  There is no reason for hysteria that leads to the proverbial men wielding torches trying to run all us out of town, very much like what was depicted in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. 

We are not monsters to be feared or to be used for exploitation so that a major Autism “charity” can make more money for their inflated salaries, etc.  We are individuals who are all unique and deserve respect and love. 

The propaganda machine at Autism Speaks churns out misinformation and lies like butter and the unsuspecting masses “eat it up with a spoon” never realizing that they are buying into hate and ignorance instead of working toward Acceptance and understanding.  On April 2^nd they held their annual Light It Up Blue campaign, just one such rallying scheme that Aut$peaks has dreamed up.  They coaxed people all over the world to take part in the “exciting” blue puzzle wave, from Antarctica to Sydney to New York to you name it people turned on blue lights.  The masses joined in without realizing that they too were a part of the problem and aided in spreading hate. 

Autism Speaks is a scary Autism “charity” in that they make you think they are doing something helpful, but in reality only 3% of money raised actually goes to services for us, there are no Autistics on their board, their executives have 6-figure salaries, etc., etc.  They exploit Autistics to fill their coffers from pity fund-raising to you name it and have even been known to steal and use Autistics’ words for their own nefarious purposes.  I will not go on about them, you can find many sites on the web that decry them, have a look and you too will understand why I will never jump on the Light It Up Blue bandwagon. 

Hate and fear do not move things forward they keep things where there are, stagnant, building a wall around positive thought, barring the world from the light of reason and inspiration, in many cases it turns the cycle in reverse.

What is needed is real Acceptance for Autistics, in our families, in our communities, in our schools, and in our workplaces, etc.  From understanding us on our terms, as in actually taking the time to listen to us, even if we are nonverbal, the true seeds of Acceptance will be sown and encouraged to grow, fostering new generations to recognize and Accept the many talents and differences of those who make up humanity. 

We need to work toward Acceptance for all Autistics, ourselves, our children, our family members, our friends, colleagues, etc.  Acceptance starts with you, it is up to you to move away from “cures”, “fixes”, “trying to be normal”, etc., encouraging others to do so as well and move toward a world where differences are just another part of what makes us human.  Autism is a Spectrum; learn to embrace its many hues of brilliant color. 

Even Bob Marley has something that will inspire you to action with an excerpt from his song titled Get Up, Stand Up: “Hey, get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight. Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight”.  It is when we quit trying, fighting, and standing up for what we truly believe in: our Autistic Rights, the rights of your Autistic children, etc., that we become complacent and lose a bit of ourselves more and more each day. 

We are fighting for such things as the right to not be bullied (not at school, online, at work, at the store or anywhere for that matter) for just being and acting as our Autistic selves – stimming, rocking, etc.; the right to get accommodations that help us; the right to have a voice in the conversation about us and not to be excluded from it; etc., etc.  If you want to make the right world filled with Autism Acceptance you have to work and fight for it.  Talk to everyone you know, even people who do not agree with you, explain your case for Acceptance, you will run into naysayers and it may dishearten you, but do not give up, keep trying, in time those naysayers will understand your message and join the cause.  Acceptance benefits all, not just we Autistics.  We can make a better world for all Autistics.  This is something worth fighting for and to claim for future generations, what we do now will effect the world they will live in and do we not want to give them something better than what we have, my answer and yours should as well be a resounding YES! 

Please remember that Autism Acceptance is so much more than you accepting your Autistic diagnosis or your child’s, it is about society as a whole accepting Autistics for who we are, verbal or nonverbal, stims and all.

So go forth during this Autism Acceptance Month and every month hereafter spreading the word about Acceptance, do your part!  To echo Bob Marley and Van Halen respectively, “Hey, get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight” and “Catch that magic moment and do it right here and now. It means everything.”  Every movement starts with a spark, now is your chance to be that spark! 

There is no time like the present to make a better world! 

As ever, I hope that you and your families have a good Autism Acceptance Month!  :)

Of Love and Fear

In the following post I have used red to symbolize all things positive and red is associated with love.  The color black is commonly associated with fear and hate, as it will be now, this is not simple text, but a statement of the loathing and distain I feel for Autism Speaks and all of their horrible rhetoric at the expense of me and all the members of my community.

For the Love Not Fear Flash Blog 

Of Love and Fear

 

To be wrapped in a warm embrace, the kind that envelops you with strength of purpose pressing all of your worries and fear away.

 

To be made to cower when something horrible appears out of the mist like a wraith, paralyzed with fear, chilled with sweat shivering in a darkened corner.

 

To let the sun warm your face, eyes closed as you stand in the front yard and listen to the birds.  This warmth moves down to your core and hugs you from within.

 

To fall through the ice of a frozen lake, the chilling water freezing you down to the core, terror running through your mind as you try to get out, you cry out, but no one hears, the loneliness deepens fear.

 

Knowing that you are truly not alone, no matter how hard things seem and overwhelming, that you do not have to run and hide, that even via the written word sent across the net a virtual hug can be shared between two souls and the light of hope and love can warm you from within.  This is what Autistic Community means, to never be alone again when one needs another, with the click of a mouse you are there.

 

Love is what we need not fear, no matter how hard you push your hate and fear laced propaganda out against us, the harder we will push back with love.  Acceptance is LOVE.  Love beats fear every time, remember that.

Autistic Me - My post for the This is Autism Flash Blog.

Instead of focusing on the bad parts of being Autistic, the struggles, etc., I will instead illustrate ways in which being Autistic is good.  I will not discuss the bad parts just now, I will leave that to the Evil Empire (a.k.a. Autism Speaks) they help them to raise funds, wouldn't want to deprive them of any chance to exploit us, and is that not what it is really about?!, it is certainly not about actually listening to or helping Autistics.  Am not saying my life is always a "walk in the park", although I am generally a happy and smiling soul, I do have my days of down in the dumps, despairing of change and the future. 

Being an adult and still getting so excited about Christmas that the WHOLE month of December is exciting too, whenever I see Christmas decorations my face breaks into a smile and I get bouncy and start to flap.  Having to fight myself throughout the year to not hum or sing Christmas carols until Advent starts.  Sometimes the fight is fought many times; verbalized warnings are even given to self.  Everyone who knows me or who is yet to meet me knows that Christmas is my favorite time of year.

Did I mention Snoopy!!?  He is my favorite Peanuts character!  :)

Getting bouncy, smiling, and flapping when the first flakes of snow begin to fall.  Telling everyone I know that it is snowing!!  Entranced while watching snow fall, standing at the window for ages just watching it drift down to the ground.  Taking walks in the snow and looking straight upwards and watching the flakes twirl down.  Driving in the car and watching as the snow surrounds the car, needless to say my driving in snow is never good, I tend to get entranced with the flakes. 

Getting excited and counting down the days until my birthday every year. 

Plopping down in the aisle of a bookstore or library, pulling books off the shelves and delving right in, soaking up knowledge while rocking quickly back and forth, blissfully quiet.

Ponce De Leon searched for the Fountain of Youth, we Autistics have the best of both worlds, one minute we can be serious and the next we can be joyously lost in a favorite pastime, such as blowing bubbles.  The simplest things can entertain us, this is not to say that we are simple or simple-minded, many of us are more than capable of intense and deep thought, whether we be verbal or nonverbal. 

 

 

Just give us the chance to be ourselves. 

 

This IS Autism.  :)