…let’s do something productive!
(Note: This post gets a tiny bit R-rated at the very end. Consider yourself warned.)
Similarly, my parents have been parenting me for 20 years, and I’m sure they could give great advice to other parents of (high-functioning) autistics. In comparison to parents of autistic people who have higher support needs, they might not be “as expert,” in that they haven’t had to advocate for me to the same degree.
So that’s my not-particularly-hot take on what makes someone an “autism expert.” I have no idea how deliberately evoking discomfort in others figures into any of this.
I love this meme. It’s really funny! But what if, instead of using it to make people uncomfortable, we use it to make them more comfortable with laughing at absurd/harmful/genuinely ableist anti-vaxxer nonsense?
Super important point. So many disabled individuals are seen as disposable, and people are not nearly as outraged about this as they should be. But again, this hashtag is just going to antagonize people who might have gotten on board with this idea otherwise. Instead of deliberately causing discomfort, let’s talk about what we’re implying when we say stuff like, “Don’t worry, this just affects people with preexisting conditions.” Let’s raise awareness about what it’s like to live with an invisible illness. Let’s wear our damn masks. Let’s bring people together and rally around this goal instead of driving them apart.
People misunderstand service dogs a lot. A service dog is not a pet with a fancy vest. It’s a highly trained creature providing essential support that enables disabled people to function to the best of their abilities. I choose to operate under the assumption that most people have good intentions. If they interact inappropriately with a service dog (distracting the dog, insisting on petting them, ignoring the handler’s requests), it’s probably because they don’t know any better or they don’t really understand the impact of their actions. So let’s educate people. And call me crazy, but I think people are more open to being educated when they’re not accused of bigotry.
Well, this definitely makes me uncomfortable…
Categories: Autism, etc.
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