Tumblrinas

Post Reply New Topic

So, I am well aware that most of us have heard of the neurodiversity movement. And in all truth, I am a moderate supporter of the movement as they have some very good beliefs (Asperger's/high-functioning autism is not a disease and can feel great at times, society needs to be more aware of the struggles which we spectrumites face, all humans are equal regardless of neurotype/disorder). A great deal of its followers congregate on Tumblr, and I occasionally re-blog their posts if I agree with them.

Where they went wrong was suggesting that a cure=eugenics and ABA=child abuse (NO cure or treatment at all should be made available for autism, even though there are some autistics who don't like being autistic), only those on the spectrum speak for and represent the autism community (no neurotypical allies allowed), and autism is everything about one's identity (without autism, there would be no me). They even believe that there should be no autism spectrum; autism is autism no matter how severe your symptoms are, not to mention that a significant amount are self-diagnosed via Internet with no professional assistance (errata can and will occur).

Now this I don't understand. I myself don't want a cure, I am happy being an Aspergian, but contrary to the Tumblrinas' beliefs, there is a more profound end to the autism spectrum, as well as those along the whole gamut who don't want autism or Asperger's. And the "autism=autism" theory. I don;t see how John Elder Robison and Ido Kedar are autistic to the same degree. May somebody help me understand? From what I see, it looks like a group of extremists corrupting the image of a once-reasonable ideology.

am severely autistic,LFA and do not want a cure,am at peace with self and own autism,just because am very affected by autism doesnt mean am going to jump at a cure.
it is those of us with severe or profound classic autism that woud refuse cures because we have such hatred and fear of change and are so disconnected from humanity and being deep into our own lives we simply woudnt want to change,we are not affected by peer pressure or societal expectations to understand the concept of failiure plus we arent ever going to be part of mainstream society to get affected by their bombardment of negativity.
its HFAs who have the highest acceptance of the concept of a cure despite HFAs also being the loudest against it.

ABA isnt child abuse,nor [adult abuse]!
have had this as an adult,both every day as part of living in residential care and also an extreme punishing form of ABA whilst was detained in an intelectual disability hospital.
both kinds have profoundly helped,am more able to do things than used to be,it helped to change such acute rigid thinking that was holding self back a lot and it has changed behaviors to the point was let out of hospital [was detained for extreme challenging behavior from the autism & ID].

am not highly supportive of neuro diversity movement but do agree with it in a light way.

Every political movement (that is what the neurodiversity idea has become) has its separatists who trade in logical extremes. Unfortunately for them, the larger part of success usually comes from their movements' negotiators.

Perhaps you have a different definition from these people on Tumblr, as to a cure?

That's because they're not the same, I can't see why anyone with think that. If they do think that, they probably don't know anything about those people or their situations.

It's also possible that you're mistaking complaints about NTs, for hatred of all NTs. If someone mentions their disdain for NTs making or spreading stigmas, it's not indicative of a disdain for ALL NTs.

There aren't any AS people I know that would want it to be "no NTs allowed". The one or two I've met, it's mainly because they're still young and angry from their experiences with NTs, but it doesn't last long once they rationalise and reason. They'll see NTs being horrid and then view all NTs as horrid. I know it's hard to rationalise that away at first, as it seems so prevalent, but it is a broad generalisation, and one person can't be like the next person. NTs will also generalise in a similar fashion, they look at an AS child, and paint everyone on the spectrum as broken or defunct, when that's not accurate. It's just a broad generalisation, that one child is not the same as everyone else, and isn't at the same stage in their life as everyone else.

Tumblr, I don't think anyone takes that seriously, as it just seems to be a gathering place on the internet for people that enjoy whining. Not talking exclusively about AS, but whining in general, Tumblr does appear very whiny. It's possible for it to end up the same as feminism, but I wouldn't worry about Neurodiversity being corrupted too much. lol

But you're right it does need to be one of peace and inclusion, like Vulcans and Humans.

Think: Martin Luther King VS Malcolm X.