Autism Speaks

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i'm perfectly capable of speaking for myself.

Probably a lot more capable than people who think that they are the Lorax.

I'm divided when it comes to genetic research. I'm sure the curebee organizations sponsor such research just to be able to create a prenatal test and then commit genocide.

However, I'm not at all convinced that this research will lead to a reliable autism test with low false-positives. Without such a test it would be hard to use as a guide for abortion. After all, Down can be confirmed by genetic testing and have very low false-positives.

I think the best way to go about this is to use existing laws on discrimination to our advantage, but this first requires published research that we must be regarded as an etnic minority.

If my mother had known that the teachers at school would make my life and hers a living hell because there was "something wrong" with me, she might well have had an abortion.

One thing that always stood out was the way that I was never, ever allowed to speak for myself. If there was an "incident" and there were many, teachers, the principal, and my mother would decide what I had done while shutting out my input. They would even demand answers from me and actually hit me when I gave those answers.

Just in case you might think that mommies wouldn't abort a fetus that tests positive for Autism. I was recently in for an Ultrasound scan of my liver. Naturally I was curious about how the Tech's job goes. I thought it must be thrilling, telling mommies-to-be that baby is fine. But the tech said, oh no, they get angry!! About what, I asked. Oh, the couples get upset that they're having another girl, or their third boy ! !! THEY GET ANGRY OVER HAVING THE SAME SEX CHILD THREE TIMES ! !! Imagine telling them that their amniotic test is positive for Autism, that would be the end of THAT!! !

What's bloody next?? We have to start wearing an "A" on our sleeves? We get rounded up for Curative Camps??

Yeah, I think most parents would abort, but certainly not all. For instance my parents said abortion was recommended for me but they decided against it.

Autism speaks is disgusting. Tempting to start up an organization 'Autistics Yell', who's purpose is to contest the idiotic things they say.


But I'm thinking it would be MORE useful if such a group was honestly out to help people.

And also take a swing at the curbies

I think WP does a fairly good job with that, except we keep it to ourselves and correct ourselves when we go wrong, instead of covering it up with excuses like others would do.

They wouldn't have a fundamental knowledge of autism if they had to come here to learn about it!

They aren't even autistic, so what makes them think that they can research the autistic culture?

I hope you mean just the guys over at Autism Speaks there, dgd1788, because I had a friend come over here one time to browse. Yeah, he's NT, but he didn't log on, and he browsed around looking. I could tell because he asked me what NT meant on MSN Messenger! I don't mind if people come around here every so often to get an insight into our veiws and problems in life, but if it's just to slander us, then there's a problem with it, obviously.

When you said "They aren't even autistic, so what makes them think that they can research the autistic culture?" think about this: it's kinda like saying that Christians can't get a basic insight into Jewish or Buddhism, or finding out what your neighbour does on the weekend (if you just so happen to care). As I said, I'm okay with others coming here because they are curious and/or can offer some advice or get some for their own purposes. I hope I didn't sound too forceful with this.

I think there are potential power problems, which need to be heavily watched for, when non-autistic people are running autism organizations. But that does not mean they cannot be our allies. It's not that they have no right to get involved at all, it's the problem of taking over and not really listening to us. (Although I think many autistic people could use listening to a broader range of autistic people as well. Not that knowing a wider range of autistic people makes me want a cure, quite the contrary, but that sometimes I see stuff by people saying "But hey autistic people CAN do that stuff," when really they mean some autistic people can -- but not being able to do that stuff doesn't mean "needs to be cured". If that makes sense.)

From personal experience, having NTs represent us is a fundamental mistake, I had a lot more hassle from people in general when NTs tried to present us because they brand a stereotype, either accidentally or intentionally. It's bad enough trying to self-advocate my Autism because everyone listens to the NTs more than what I have to say, and people just brand me as some 'ret*d' and avoid me, insult me, over-cater for me, and/or patronize me. This a quote from nexus that I kind've messed up.

You're absolutely right! Although I have not been insulted because of my AS, I do have to put up with my siblings' arrogance on many occasions. In my opinion, I think asperger's syndrome should be viewed as a culteral identity, not a medical condition. My NT siblings always try to justify some of their behavior by telling me that my AS is to blame. The adults at my church who know that I have AS also like to over-cater me, which I find a little annoying.