Changeling: The Ongoing Journey of an Aspie: Perception

Showing posts with label Perception. Show all posts

Celebrate Autism!: Why "Awareness" Has Got to Go

Let me state right now that I am not against awareness. Quite the opposite, in fact. I'm a big fan of cultivating self-awareness...which is why this month is so utterly baffling.

In case you weren't "aware" (couldn't help myself), April is Autism Acceptance Month! Many Autistics prefer this over Autism Awareness Month, the original name for this advocacy period. Using "Awareness" for autism advocacy has actually done more harm than it has helped. This term has caused a medieval thought process to prevail over research, policy, and society in regards to Autism. So, instead, many (dare I say most) Autistics prefer to call it "Autism Acceptance Month."

You might be wondering how I know this.

READ ON --»

...seeing things from a different perspective...

"Imagine a world where Aspergers was the norm, and non-autistics or neurotypicals were the minority. Let's try it: Those who feel the need to constantly be with a variety of friends are considered fickle. Those with no propensity for computers and science are called geeks. Those with no special interest are thought to be ungrounded and lost. Those without obsessive focus have to take classes to cultivate it."
~Rudy Simone

What do you think?

SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

...there is no epidemic...

"As the diagnosis of autism is increasing the diagnosis of mental retardation is decreasing. And more and more on the other end, the high end, more children who are just a little bit off, who ordinarily you would not single out now are being described as perhaps Asperger's syndrome or on the high end of the autism spectrum, so I don't believe there is an epidemic."
~Gerald Fischbach

What do you think?

SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

June Finds & Insights

Articles/Sites/Blogs

Because I'm an Activist Makeup Artist - This post is not from an Autistic person, but I think the sentiments on being disabled (especially invisible disabilities) are important.

Memes

'No more forcing myself to act "normal" even in the privacy of my own home!' - So true of my experience, and the pervasive attitude that ableism has on people. When you are trying so hard to be normal for the rest of the world, that you can't even relax enough to take off the mantle of repression at home...

Found on my Autistic Women's Group

Books

Though none of this month's offerings struck me as must-reads, I am curious about the first two books...

Movies/TV

Elementary
Last month, I shared about a new autistic character introduced to the show, that of Fiona Helbron (a.k.a. "Mittens"). I thought she would only be a one-shot, but they decided to make her a love interest for Sherlock instead. Can I say I'm all for this? Especially after seeing Season 4 Episode 18 "Ready or Not". In this, Fiona decides to break up with Sherlock because she feels he is too careful with her. After being informed by Sherlock that he was dealing with his own issues, she says they should have sex and proceeds to jump his bones.

I was really pleased to see an Autistic woman taking agency over her own body. Too often, popular media treats us as fragile, not only because of our disability, but also because we are women. I look forward to seeing how much more Fiona develops.

Resources

If you've never heard of Tip of the Asperg, then you're missing out. This lovely person shares raw experiences via YouTube and Facebook. Check Tip out, and check out this cool traits document...also from Tip. Big thanks go out for granting me permission to share it! You rock, Tip!
https://www.docdroid.net/0hIIPmP/adultasdtraitstip-finalcopy.pdf

Insights

This month I spent no time on this blog, but trust me when I say the ol' gears are always turning. I'm hoping to share some new posts this coming month on tools for helping executive function, and I'm close to done with my insights from April. It's weird to think of yourself as perfectly normal and disabled at the same time. It conflicts with your views of yourself, what you can and can't do, no matter how hard you try. I think for a lot of us, we come to terms with it every day. Each day is a new challenge to try to work through.

Until next month...take care of yourselves, fellow Aspies!

What kinds of resources and cool things have you found lately? Share in the comments below!

...the imagined child...

“By separating the autism from the person, are we encouraging our patients’ family members to love an imagined nonautistic child that was never born, forgetting about the real person who exists in front of us."

~ Christina Nicolaidis, A Physician Speaks

...looking back and reframing life...

“To find out you are autistic is quite a realization to have in your teens, but in your 40s or 50s it means you have to look back at your whole life and reframe everything; every incident, every moment, with this new lens to look through. It's like getting glasses after spending your whole life near-sighted. Obviously, the longer you've gone without the diagnosis the more work you have to do in looking back. And in some cases, the more damage to your spirit, psyche, and relationships you have to undo.”

~ Rudy Simone, Aspergirls

...real but not obvious...

“This is the crux of AS--our challenges are very real but not always obvious to others. Therefore our behavior is not understood.”

~ Rudy Simone, Aspergirls

Autism Acceptance Month: 'Smile' - Autism & Feminism

I've been an autistic feminist since birth. Sounds a bit hyperbolic, doesn't it? After all, one can't make decisions about their philosophical ideologies as an infant, and you'd be right to be skeptical of anything said by anyone who really believed they had. No, what I mean is that I was part of a feminist household. My mother is a feminist, and she raised me with the ethics and philosophies of feminism. Long before I knew what philosophy was, or that feminism had a political presence, I believed that everyone is, and should be perceived as, equal, despite any differences, real or imagined. Today, I proudly state myself to be a feminist.

Likewise, while I didn't know growing up that I am autistic, I was already expressing myself as an autistic person. I tended to be tomboyish, not in a sports way, but in a climbing trees and collecting rocks kind of way. I generally disliked wearing skirts and dresses, preferring comfortable pants and overalls which had pockets to put random weird shit into that I found on the ground. I was fascinated by science, especially astronomy. I had numerous special interests. I had food sensitivities that sometimes resulted in dramatic scenes (I recall an incident with a macaroni and bean salad). I had a lisp, which I viciously corrected on my own. I became so stressed in middle school, that I got ulcers, and generally suffered from other stomach issues. I was rather solitary. I didn't have a lot of friends. And I had the distinct sense that I was different. The list goes on. But I had no idea that some of the things I experienced could turn out to be a link between autism and feminism.

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