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bakattsura
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14 Nov 2010, 9:46 am

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to someone briefly about the possibility of putting together a physical space which is majority-autistic.

By that, I am referring to a building, or street, or other such place where persons on the autism spectrum are in the majority. I have long been under the impression that autistic persons are more likely to be happy and well-adjusted in their own company.

Immediately, the film Milk comes to mind, in which American gay rights activist Harvey Milk was able to organize a street in San Francisco, California to be majority homosexual or homosexual-friendly, creating physical space in which he would not have to feel at odds with the rest of the world.

My question is, do you feel this would be a good experiment for the autistic community? And if so, how would one go about fostering something like this?



ruveyn
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14 Nov 2010, 9:51 am

bakattsura wrote:
I recently had the pleasure of speaking to someone briefly about the possibility of putting together a physical space which is majority-autistic.

By that, I am referring to a building, or street, or other such place where persons on the autism spectrum are in the majority. I have long been under the impression that autistic persons are more likely to be happy and well-adjusted in their own company.

Immediately, the film Milk comes to mind, in which American gay rights activist Harvey Milk was able to organize a street in San Francisco, California to be majority homosexual or homosexual-friendly, creating physical space in which he would not have to feel at odds with the rest of the world.

My question is, do you feel this would be a good experiment for the autistic community? And if so, how would one go about fostering something like this?


Among the things that glues a community together are customs, festivals and rituals. What sort of festivals might be celebrated (together) in such a community, what sort of rituals might evolve.

In a moment of wit (and please do not be offended by this) I visualized such festival: gathering together to celebrate the drying of the paint. I'm sorry. That sort of struck me as funny.

ruveyn



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14 Nov 2010, 9:51 am

I though they already had a place called Sillicon Valley for that :P


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14 Nov 2010, 9:57 am

There is a Gay street in Toronto and I saw how it was put together. The requirements to put together something like that is a tight-knit community, social activism, social networking, widespread advertising, and social activism some more. Several local businesses run by people who belong to that community anchor the community together, such as coffee shops or a special-interest bookstore or any other place to gather socially.

And, well, those are not great strengths for Aspies (that is: gathering socially, social networking, running businesses, getting into the news). I am well aware of *how* to put something like that together, but I would never in a million years be able to implement it. I could tell someone else how to do it. Another case of my knowing a lot but being essentially ineffective.



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14 Nov 2010, 11:54 am

MollyTroubletail wrote:
There is a Gay street in Toronto and I saw how it was put together. The requirements to put together something like that is a tight-knit community, social activism, social networking, widespread advertising, and social activism some more. Several local businesses run by people who belong to that community anchor the community together, such as coffee shops or a special-interest bookstore or any other place to gather socially.

And, well, those are not great strengths for Aspies (that is: gathering socially, social networking, running businesses, getting into the news). I am well aware of *how* to put something like that together, but I would never in a million years be able to implement it. I could tell someone else how to do it. Another case of my knowing a lot but being essentially ineffective.

yeah this was my thought too. we're a bunch of cats that don't play well together.

i love the idea, and would totally love even something as bold as a WP convention (i would fly to wherever to attend), but the problem is organization.


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richardbenson
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14 Nov 2010, 12:09 pm

i think its a good idea, unfortunelty i'm so pirticular about where i would like to live!
I really wouldnt want to live in a big city, or the middle of the country OR the south.

this basically only leaves the mountainous west, as my only options left. i need to be next to mountains or i will freak out, also the weather has to be cold. As you can see I'm very picky
I would like to live with another aspie though

and would be willing to move if the price was right :pig:


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leejosepho
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14 Nov 2010, 1:16 pm

ruveyn wrote:
Among the things that glues a community together are customs, festivals and rituals ...

Yes, and on top of a common need and desire, and that is where I think few people could actually come together. However, the kinds of tolerances and considerations many of us seek actually can be found here: http://www.ic.org/


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Philologos
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14 Nov 2010, 1:21 pm

We have put a lot of thought into something on these lines.

It pretty much has to be not a neighbourhood so much as a gated enclave, likely, With lots of control over interaction with larger community - there needs to be a carefully selected interface staff.



glider18
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14 Nov 2010, 1:40 pm

I prefer solitude with only my family. If I were to live in such a community, I would probably stay to myself as I do now. I prefer the interaction with my interests over seeking friendships. I enjoy my family and my interests.

I think the idea sounds good for an autistic community, but I am not sure how it would work. I believe many of us with autism are very set in our ways and like doing things the way we have always done them. For it to work, I would see it as a community of peacefulness without the interruptions of the outside world. It would be a place where we would all enjoy lives the way we would ideally want to live.


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14 Nov 2010, 3:01 pm

Most of the autistics I know are too much for me, though I imagine it would be a pretty quiet non social street...