#neurological differences

[unmaskedautistic]

Oh, really...? They “regret any offense it caused...?” WOW. How big of them.

The fact that this type of quasi-apology (I.e., not saying straight out that these depictions are WRONG) is accepted by the public is part of the problem. Big corporations KNOW that #ableism isn’t on anyone’s radar. #SelectiveActivism is a MAJOR issues for #PWD.

Think for a second of the wording of the statement. They regret any “offense” that it caused. But what about the #stereotypes that it reinforces? I see no mention of apologies for that.

The media needs to stop exploiting those that are physically and psychologically disabled or different. We’re currently only used as #InspirationPorn, as stereotypes (as seen through the eyes of others, with no care about our actual life experience), as people to be pitied, and as villains.

And until we start holding people accountable over this, there will continue to be children that grow up being picked on & feeling terribly about themselves, because of depictions like this - which encourage people to look at the disabled with pity and/or fear over what’s different. All while we’re STILL completely left out of all major dialogue & discussions regarding #diversity.

#Allies, this is where we need your help. Speak up when people joke about the #disabled, or when you hear someone use the “r” word (which I can’t even believe I have to say), or when people try to use the word “#autistic” as an insult.

And if you won’t, stop patting yourselves on the back for being so “#woke.” Ableism is still a major issue, and many of us have had to worry about #eugenics in the case of pandemic shortages. As well, “genetic discoveries” are often driven by the desire to eradicate a gene - leading to the termination of lives, based solely on genetic differences. It’s NOT okay.

A reminder to all of those with a #limbdifference, #ptosis, #scarring, #alopecia, #vitiligo, #scoliosis, #mobility issues, #speech differences, & other discernible differences & disabilities...you’re a beautiful, unique human being. To those with #InvisibleIllness - your struggles are VALID🙌🏻

To everyone else - we’re not villains, or the butt of a “joke.”

#ActuallyAutistic #PissedOff

[shadowpuppetteer]

Time for a social media rant. So starting today I am going to be more open about the fact that I am a person with autism. That doesn't mean I will introduce myself as such all the time to everyone's faces, but I need to speak up and let people know, why? There is such bad representation about people on the spectrum that puts us all in bad set of stereotypes by the media. They may not mean to, but those stereotypes are damaging. That's why I haven't really talked about having autism to people because I was afraid that they would only see those stereotypes and not me. Well I'm stepping up. I'm letting people know that they need to take those stereotypes, just throw them out the window and see everyone as a person. Our brains are wired differently but being different is what makes us human. I am not a disease, I am not an obsessive robot, I am not an idiot. I am an entrepreneur, a college graduate, a hard working artist, I am Tess Langston and I am a person with autism.

[citizendoug]

The Monarch School is a learning and therapeutic environment for individuals with neurological differences. One of the great things about my job is I get to discover places like this school where people are welcome to grow without bias to their unique composition. It was a pleasure to contribute a (via Douglas Robertson Interview Audio for The Monarch School Video 2014)