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8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Neurodiversity & Autistic Self-
Advocacy
Sarah Pripas
The Autistic Self-Advocacy NetworkApril 7, 2011
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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The Medical Model of Disability
The medical model of disability conceptualizes
disability as something which is inherently
wrong with the disabled person and is in need of
fixing
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The Social Model of Disability
The social model of disability conceptualizes
disability in terms ofsocial factors which cause a
person to be disabled within a particular society.
These factors include prejudice and systemic
barriers to equal access. The social model is
concerned with removing these barriers through
accommodations and services, rather thanfocusing on the disabled individual as somehow
deficient.
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Some Key Disability Principals
No pity
Nothing about us without us
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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How Does This Apply to Autism?
Neurodiversityis essentially about applying
the social model of disability to autism
Instead of seeing the autistic person(preferred terminology) as deficient and in
need of cure, neurodiversity looks to changes
in the environment and the provision of
services which can help the autistic person to
more comfortably live as an autistic person
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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So, Whats Wrong with Autism
Awareness?
As generally practiced, autism awareness
looks at autism from the medical model
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Autism awareness typically does not take
autistic viewpoints into accounts, instead
focusing on non-autistic caregivers
Very little focus on autistic adults in general
When the accomplishments of autistic people
are highlighted in autism awareness, this is
often done in a condescending way
Autism awareness typically promotes pity and
stereotypes rather than true understanding ofautistic people and our needs
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An Alternative to Autism Awareness:
Autism Acceptance
April 1, 2011: First Autism Acceptance Day
Focus is on accepting autistic people as we are
and providing accommodations to improvequality of life, rather than focusing on pity,
cure, or normalization
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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The Language of Acceptance
Instead of. Say
Symptoms, warning signs, red flags Traits, differences
Deficiency Area of difficulty, impairment
Illness, disorder, disease Different way of being
Person with autism/Aspergers Autistic person
High functioning/low functioning Nothing. Dont try to categorize autistic
people in dehumanizing and inaccurate
categories, but rather focus on the
individual.
Co-morbidity Other conditions
Special needs child Child with a disability
Epidemic, tsunami Nothing. The presence of autistic people
is not a disaster.
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Not Just A Language Change
The language of neurodiversity and autismacceptance should go along with differentattitudes
When working with an autistic person, goalshould not be to make them look more like aneurotypical person, but rather to provideeducation and services which will help them best
realize happiness as an autistic person Focus on talents and areas of strength as well as
areas of difficulties.
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Two Types of Self-Advocacy
Personal self-advocacy
Community advocacy
Example: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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A Brief Overview of ASAN
Founded in 2006 by Ari Neeman and Scott
Robertson
17 chapters in U.S. and expanding
Collaborations with cross-disability organizations
Issues worked on in past and currently:
preventing restraint and seclusion in educational
settings, de-institutionalization and communityliving, better services, educational inclusion,
media representations of autistic people and
others with disabilities
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Neurodiversity in Practice: Media
Representations
8/7/2019 Autistic Self Advocacy Network Webinar with Autism NOW April 7, 2011
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Neurodiversity in Practice: Research
AgendasStandard Research Agenda: Neurodiversity Research Agenda:
Cause, genetic research Not interested in cause or genetics, but in
helping autistic people already here
Biomedical Research Quality of life research, research into
provision of services,augmentative/assistive communication
research
Usually doesnt include autistic advocates Very concerned with the inclusion of
autistic researchers, and lay feedback
from other autistic people
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How to Ally with Autistic Self-
Advocates?
Inclusion of autistic people in autism-related
organizations, at all levels.
Recognize autistic people as primarystakeholders in autism-related issues
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Reframe treatment and intervention
programs to respect and reflect
neurodiversity. Consider, why am I teaching
this person this skill? Why am I altering a
particular behavior? Who is this benefitting?
Is what were doing geared towards trulyteaching the autistic person a valuable skill, or
simply teaching them how to better pass for
neurotypical?
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Consider how particular eventsincluding
autism-related eventsmight be made moreaccessible to autistic people (some of whom
may have other disabilities)
Encourage allautistic people to self-advocate
for their needs as early in life as possible
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When considering which autism organizations
to support, ask whether a particular truly
follows neurodiversity principals. Are autistic
people included at all levels within the
organization? What is this organizations top
priorityresearch or providing services?What, if anything, does this organization do
for autistic adults?
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Consider what you say about autism carefully,
remaining mindful that an autistic person may
be watching
Think critically about media representations of
autistic people that you consumeespecially
during Autism Awareness month. Do notassume that all awareness = good awareness.
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Think about how to make life in general more
accessible to autistic people.
-Examples: movies, airport security
Accept the autistic people in your life for who
they are.