24 Mar 2009, 11:22 am
I discovered what appears to be an excellent resource and, by way of that, a good article and couple of books. Website and article found at:
www.autistics.org/library/allies.html
It is a superb article called Identifying, Educating, and Empowering Allies written by Phil Schwarz and comes from Autreat 2003 and 2004 workshops. It's also included in a book [Ch. 5] I must get called Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum by Stephen Shore, ed. It appears to be an anthology or collection of essays by various authors. [Included is one called "Being Your Own Case Manager" by Roger Meyer.] Stephen Shore is author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome.
Excerpts from the Schwarz article in the above link:
"At present, the 'conventional wisdom' about autism is still overwhelmingly steeped in the medical/pathological model of disability."
"Our allies need support and preparation, to anticipate and deal with the opposition they are likely to encounter. They will encounter opposition from those who benefit (or who think they benefit) from the status quo."
"Allies--even those from the 'more able' sector--can help by helping us be heard and by validating what we say. Sometimes this is the best counter-measure against those who seek to invalidate what we say and who we are."
"The key here is educating the allies we get from the 'more able' sector, that what applies to the 'more able', in terms of rights, equity, and respect applies to all of us."
"...the autism self-advocacy movement..." "...training manual for allies.." "..developing such training materials.."
*******
People on the autism spectrum are hurting, urgently in need of help and healing. They often have nowhere to go for help except WP. We need to thoroughly comprehend how the pathological disease model of Aspergers and the Autism Spectrum was developed to benefit the status quo, not us.
Accessibility for autistics desperately needs to be seen in a more positive light. I firmly believe there is an imperative screaming need for the autism community to brainstorm and come up with a label for ourselves based upon our neurodiversity as opposed to the extremely negative medical model which only serves to benefit the status quo while it screws us. We are not only entitled to obtain services to help us function efficiently [accessibility] but to receive that help while maintaining our own dignity and self-worth in the process. When we are enabled to function efficiently [accessibility], everyone wins. We are no longer a drain on society but rather a valuable contribution to it.
It's been over a decade since Australian disability activist Judy Singer first coined the term neurodiversity in 1997-98. Scant progress, it seems, has been made since then. In fact, a case could be made that we've actually regressed. Two steps backward for every step forward....as some unwholesome cures and worthless attitudes have sprouted up in the mainstream view of autism. This is primarily due to the fact that our voices aren't being heard by those in a position of authority to deliver help and healing.
It is my fervent hope and dream that members of WP will empower themselves this year to directly address the cause and core of their agony and to bring about a movement of greater awareness and self healing to each other. We need to work together toward that goal. If you have no real desire to help yourself, then please extend a hand toward an autistic crying out for help in The Haven. We can do this. We must find the strength.
Last edited by alba on 24 Mar 2009, 11:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
24 Mar 2009, 11:33 am
29 Mar 2009, 1:19 pm
