Is Autism Speaks Still Bad?

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Hello. I have been on WP for a few months now (looking, never posting, and I made a new account today because I decided that I did not like my username). I was recently diagnosed with ASD and the question that I have been wondering about since receiving my report is whether there is still good reason to dislike Autism Speaks. The reason my report brings this up for me is that it recommends that I access a resource provided by Autism Speaks.

I know they have a history of portraying autism and autistic people as a burden on families, excluding autistic people from decision-making, failing to use their funds to actually support autistic people and their families, and supporting harmful ABA therapies. However, it seems like they have changed their messaging to embrace neurodiversity and began to allow autistic people to describe their own experiences and participate in the organization's decision-making processes. I am unsure about how they spend their money these days, whether they continue to back ABA, or whether their commitment to neurodiversity is a genuine change of perspective or only a set of surface-level platitudes. Can someone who is more informed tell me about the current state of Autism Speaks? Is there still any reason (beyond their history) to dislike them?

I say yes, everything is wrong with having autism. I have to deal with everybody ignoring me, my teachers complaining about everything I do and my teachers hurting my feelings and not feeling bad about it like my feelings aren't important at all.

Autism Speaks always stereotypes people on the spectrum, so unfortunately yes.

Better or less bad then 10 years ago? Most definitely.

They very much still support ABA

They are partnering with google on the #MSSNG project a genetic database. We are not missing we are right here.

They did a good thing partnering with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in creating the Autistic muppet Julia for Sesame Street.
Then last year
Trouble on Sesame Street

They're still bad. As long as their money goes towards their lavish lifestyles and "research", I will view them as a bad organization. Did they really have to show that mother changing her 5 year old boy's diaper in that video? Any organization that wants to eliminate a certain population is a bad organization in my opinion.

Autism Speaks are awful, it's more of a corporation then being an organisation or a charity.

They ignore voices of real autistics and on their board, everyone are neurotypical which makes them a bunch of dictators. It's almost like having the Westboro Church governing Gay rights, Hitler governing the worldwide Jewish community, having husbands who bash their wives governing women's right or the KKK governing the Black Lives Matters.

People on the board for Autism Speaks are dressed in neck ties and corporate power suits and they live lavish lifestyles.

They present a kinder face to autistic children in their TV commercials these days than they used to. Talking from the child's pov even. And since their TV ads are the only way I know them I would have to say ...to me...they have a better image then before.

Whether that reflects any real improvement in the organization, or not, I have no idea.

I may well be just a victim of good PR.

Thanks for the replies. It looks like they have improved, but not enough to earn legitimacy for me. Really I would have had a hard time supporting them because of the history alone, but I try to be fair about these things. I think that includes being aware of how they have improved and what remains problematic.

Let's all not forget the controversial ad Alfonso Cuaron did for Autism Speaks!

Autism Speaks trys / has to be all things to all people because historically its the "official charity" and end up being hated by all.

It angers those who hate their autism or care for those with severe symptoms by embracing Neurodiversity who are anti cure. These people are better represented by "The National Council for Severe Autism"

https://www.ncsautism.org/

It angers advocates by still treating autism as a "problem" and promoting research, why would something that wasnt a problem require research from their point of view. These people are better represented by ASAN.

https://autisticadvocacy.org/

So in the end it represents nothing which kind of proves its hard to sit on the fence these days