What Autism Professionals Need to Know
by Caley at Autism Spectrum Explained
[...] I was constantly assumed to be a parent of an autistic person, as opposed to an autistic adult, when I interacted with autism organizations. I remember I got in contact with an autism organization, which I'm choosing not to identify. I had been forced to get into contact with them when I talked to professionals asking them for help dealing with an issue and they assumed the fact I was autistic was at the root of my problems, even though I kept telling them again and again that wasn’t what I was having a problem with. When the representative called me back, they were asking me about “my child” the entire time. “Are you the parent of Caley?” they asked me. I just hung up, because I didn’t know how in the world I could respond to that. Apparently it was assumed that an autistic person would not be competent enough to make the phone call. [...]
When I was getting help from a governmental organization for disabled people, they told me I had to take an IQ test because they were going to be giving me help going to college and wanted to see my job aptitude. Prior to this point, repeatedly the jobs they were suggesting for me were very basic skilled, the sorts you learn at vocational schools as opposed to college. When I asked how high the scale could go on the test they were giving me, they realized they didn’t have an IQ test that went into above average. I had to come back another day for a test that could measure me properly. Apparently disabled people aren’t expected to be intelligent. READ MORE
by Caley at Autism Spectrum Explained
[...] I was constantly assumed to be a parent of an autistic person, as opposed to an autistic adult, when I interacted with autism organizations. I remember I got in contact with an autism organization, which I'm choosing not to identify. I had been forced to get into contact with them when I talked to professionals asking them for help dealing with an issue and they assumed the fact I was autistic was at the root of my problems, even though I kept telling them again and again that wasn’t what I was having a problem with. When the representative called me back, they were asking me about “my child” the entire time. “Are you the parent of Caley?” they asked me. I just hung up, because I didn’t know how in the world I could respond to that. Apparently it was assumed that an autistic person would not be competent enough to make the phone call. [...]
When I was getting help from a governmental organization for disabled people, they told me I had to take an IQ test because they were going to be giving me help going to college and wanted to see my job aptitude. Prior to this point, repeatedly the jobs they were suggesting for me were very basic skilled, the sorts you learn at vocational schools as opposed to college. When I asked how high the scale could go on the test they were giving me, they realized they didn’t have an IQ test that went into above average. I had to come back another day for a test that could measure me properly. Apparently disabled people aren’t expected to be intelligent. READ MORE
I Cannot Call My Sister Cute:
Autism and Infantilization
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
...People can generally tell that something's ‘different’ about Caley, and often guess it has something to do with a disability, although they can't quite put their finger on what that disability is. This acquaintance was apparently one of these people and when she determined Caley was ‘different’ she adapted her own demeanor towards Caley accordingly. [...]
My acquaintance had treated Caley like she was a small child. As soon as she’d gathered enough data to dump Caley into her mental ‘disabled’ category, my acquaintance had immediately switched to baby speech. She’d spoken very slowly, exaggerating every word, dumbed down her vocabulary, and reacted with over-acted enthusiasm to every phrase that came out of Caley's mouth. At one point, she literally patted Caley on the head. And, what's more, every few sentences or so, my acquaintance would look up at me with a bright smile and utter that damning phrase, "Your sister's so cute!"
Despite knowing that Caley was going to be coming to the Honors college next year, and therefore quite smart, upon sensing that vague feeling of disability she'd immediately down-graded her view of Caley's intelligence and maturity all the way down to that of a 5 year old. READ MORE
Autism and Infantilization
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
...People can generally tell that something's ‘different’ about Caley, and often guess it has something to do with a disability, although they can't quite put their finger on what that disability is. This acquaintance was apparently one of these people and when she determined Caley was ‘different’ she adapted her own demeanor towards Caley accordingly. [...]
My acquaintance had treated Caley like she was a small child. As soon as she’d gathered enough data to dump Caley into her mental ‘disabled’ category, my acquaintance had immediately switched to baby speech. She’d spoken very slowly, exaggerating every word, dumbed down her vocabulary, and reacted with over-acted enthusiasm to every phrase that came out of Caley's mouth. At one point, she literally patted Caley on the head. And, what's more, every few sentences or so, my acquaintance would look up at me with a bright smile and utter that damning phrase, "Your sister's so cute!"
Despite knowing that Caley was going to be coming to the Honors college next year, and therefore quite smart, upon sensing that vague feeling of disability she'd immediately down-graded her view of Caley's intelligence and maturity all the way down to that of a 5 year old. READ MORE
A long, sad story about the attitudes that Autism Speaks propagates, and an encounter with a spokesperson “autism dad”
by neurowonderful
I’m still working on my post covering the Vancouver ASAN protest against the Autism Speaks walk, but here is the story of one of the “autism parents” we encountered. The interaction here was definitely the worst and most disheartening part of the day but I feel like it’s really important to talk about.
We were well into the morning, handing out flyers and pamphlets to the masses of families in “Team Aiden” or “Team Emily” shirts, answering questions and talking to anyone who stopped to look at our signage. A man and his adult son approached us and began chatting up our chapter leader, Alanna. READ MORE
by neurowonderful
I’m still working on my post covering the Vancouver ASAN protest against the Autism Speaks walk, but here is the story of one of the “autism parents” we encountered. The interaction here was definitely the worst and most disheartening part of the day but I feel like it’s really important to talk about.
We were well into the morning, handing out flyers and pamphlets to the masses of families in “Team Aiden” or “Team Emily” shirts, answering questions and talking to anyone who stopped to look at our signage. A man and his adult son approached us and began chatting up our chapter leader, Alanna. READ MORE
She's not a baby
by A Diary of a Mom
I don’t like this post.
In fact I hate it.
Its content is raw and embarrassing.
But I’m publishing it.
Because I think it matters.
~
She was right.
Of course she was right.
That’s why it hurt so much.
*
That’s why I got so defensive when she said it — and tried to pretend that I didn’t know what she meant.
“Mama,” she said, “you don’t have to talk to her like she’s a baby.” READ MORE
Diary gives us another look in a 2015 Update Facebook
by A Diary of a Mom
I don’t like this post.
In fact I hate it.
Its content is raw and embarrassing.
But I’m publishing it.
Because I think it matters.
~
She was right.
Of course she was right.
That’s why it hurt so much.
*
That’s why I got so defensive when she said it — and tried to pretend that I didn’t know what she meant.
“Mama,” she said, “you don’t have to talk to her like she’s a baby.” READ MORE
Diary gives us another look in a 2015 Update Facebook
