Autism Speaks: Is there a change afloat?

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I read this article this evening.

At the very bottom, I saw this note:

it's nice, but i wouldn't take it too seriously.

we'll see.

If there was real change they would stop calling it a disease!

Okay. Please explain the controversy about this organization. It's a popular organization I've seen many college campus clubs affiliate with when they have "awareness" events. I also read a blog entry about the organization being filled with eugenicists, but that's about it.

I tried to reconnect with someone from my past who seemed active in this organization. We were discussing some conditions and the impact they have on one's ability to lead an autonomous life. She told me if it is known that someone has Asperger's Syndrome, that it would be unethical to date that person. Then she went on about employment, kids, etc. It made me feel uncomfortable, as she didn't seem to think it would be unethical to date someone with say, schizophrenia, a condition that could also very well affect employment, having kids, etc.

Here's what I recall of the 'controversy' with Autism
Speaks:

First of all, for an organization that claims or attempts to be the voice of autism, they have (Well, no longer have) anyone within the organization that is autistic themselves.

The organization uses the majority if its funding towards research into the cause of autism with the end result of finding a 'cure' or revealing a propensity for ASD in utero giving the would be parents the option if whether or not to carry the child to term.

Minimal funding is put towards providing aid or help towards individuals with autism or their families.

The organization has produced negative propaganda that depicts autism as a horrible disease that will destroy marriages and lives. In one particular documentary Autism Speaks put out a mother claims that she had been tempted to drive herself and her autistic daughter off of a bridge and the only thing that prevented this from happening was the thought that she had a 'normal' daughter to care for. All this was said while her autistic daughter was playing in the background.

Autism Speaks would prefer you to believe that autism is a condition that only exists in childhood. There is little to no support provided to adolescenta or adults on the spectrum.

Essentially the organization uses fearmongering to push their own agenda that autism is a disease of epidemic proportions that must ultimately be erradicated.

I'm sure others here could add more if I left anything out and provide you the links and sources for what I've listed. The acquaintance that you mentioned in your post also seems to personally embody everything that's wrong with Autism Speaks. So much ignorance exists in an organization claiming to be promoting 'awareness' when they are probably more at fault of spreading misinformation and proliferation of that general ignorance than anything else out there.

I wouldn't take this seriously at all. Autism Speaks' agenda hasn't changed over the years; they've only become more intentionally vague and misleading about it whilst looking into new ways of appeasing the more impressionable of their dissenters. The organisation has always directly opposed the values of the neurodiversity movement, and simply claiming to respect it when their actions have consistently shown that the opposite is true, doesn't change that in any way whatsoever. Stunts like the employment of John Elder Robison and the support provided to Alex Plank occured only to appease the more impressionable in our community by presenting the false image that Autistic people actually have a voice within the organisation when nothing could be further from the truth.

Perhaps one day, Autism Speaks really will change ... but I certainly wouldn't bet on it.

They are trying to be agreeable. They have not been very widely accepted by the autism community at all. They try to change that with words and stuff. They cater to the parents of autistic children. It is a total NT non profit organization. If money was not involved it would not exist. It is a disease, however when it is said by them, most people interpret it like as if it were cancer, and it requires a cure. Part of their marketing ploy, is to get people to believe they are funding actual monies for an actual cure. They give people a complete lack of understanding of the actual disorder, in order to make it look as bad as they possibly can. A process called catastrophizing. For maximum effect. Granted some children are really in a difficult position, and that is the group they target. It would be no different to take a person with antisocial personality disorder who is at the bottom of their spectrum, totally low functioning, targeting those people, making people believe that it is all the same, and starting a non profit multi billion dollar organization in order to help people with that disease, and find a cure. They recently played a rope a dope tactic, with the whole neurodiverse thing, because people in the autistic community are getting really mad at the schemes, and tactics they have been producing. There are no autistics on their board of directors, or anywhere else as far as I know. they do not go out of their way to hire autistic people. There is no literature made by them about how intelligent, or successful autistic people can be. It is a put down in most respects for the autistic community.

Ha. That's a great name.



I *am* happy about that disclaimer. Any steps in the right direction bring us closer.

i have read terrifying press released by autism speaks and unless they shut down completely and hire completely opposite people in terms of beliefs, they are not capable of changing.
it is very scary that they even exist and shows the complete lack of understanding / caring from the NTs who blindly follow advertising and propaganda.

This is really bad. Someone is supposed to tell me I'm wrong, and I'm getting carried away. I cannot believe a nonprofit can be soo negative against the group of people they are trying to support, and still be soo popular, and profitable. Someone should really tell me that I'm wrong about what I said. I am just stating what appears to be obvious to me, I do not expect it to be true?