KenG wrote:
anbuend wrote:
But I think overall the important thing is that in order to handle the mess things are turning into in lots of places real community is needed. Not hiding away among only our own kind in little single issue communities. But building connections between all kinds of people. The kinds of connections that ensure survival in hard times regardless of if people are similar or even like each other. (But there's a difference between decent people disliking each other yet connecting for a higher purpose, and on the other hand accepting the cruel people who poison communities.)
I agree with this. I always try to build coalitions between the autistic community and other minority communities.
It might be necessary to go beyond coalitions. Many of these communities have very similar, overlapping needs, and guaranteeing that they are met will benefit all. Also, many people are members of multiple communities (minority categories) and find that when they interact in a particular context that they might have to leave those other parts of themselves behind.
I believe it's necessary to build stronger connections than those that lead people to call themselves "allies" to a cause or community they don't have a personal stake in, and I think a good way to do this is to build causes and communities around needs rather than identities or single issues.