Being erased. By other autistic people.

Autism civil rights has a very big problem. Essentially, so-called activists have decided that one culture, one vision, one order, one purpose, speaks for everyone who is autistic. This is wonderful for those of you who really do think Asshole from Big Nerd Blackface Stereotype Theory represents you. But it is an absolute nightmare for the rest of us.

Struggle for stillness I do, am I ergo.

When I read this post from someone else’s journal, I was struck by the awesome amount of negative reaction I felt in the back of my head. I do not know this author from Adam/Eve, so I am not going to comment about their journal, nor am I going to direct about the post directly. The reason it is linked here is so the discussion may be framed properly.

My hands. Cold hands. Yoooour haaaaands… (and so on)

If there is one thing that really bugs the hell out of me, it is the manner in which the mainstream autistic civil rights movement seems unable (or worse still, unwilling) to think beyond stereotypes. Stereotypes are much like a weapon. They can be used for both good and ill, and the difference is much a matter of whom is wielding them.

Stereotyping part fifty million.

Another big problem I have with the autistic civil rights movement in its current incarnation is that one group seems to believe its view of itself should be applied to all groups. A good example of this in recent months is a publication called Loud Hands. You see, there is a stereotype, based largely on diagnostic criteria and psychologist writing, that has it that autistic individuals rock about like badly-made chairs or wave their hands about like a six year old who has watched too many rap star videos.

Yet another FOAD to “geek culture”. Proposed examples of what autistic culture looks like.

A little while ago, I posted an extended commentary concerning Leah Jane‘s response to a “geek culture” display of hypocrisy. The original image is available everywhere, so I am not going to bother linking it. Whilst there are issues with Leah Jane‘s response, the basic fact of the matter is that the people going around like morons telling us all that they are “geeks” when they have never bitten the head off a chicken and swallowed it (look up “geek show” on the Wikipedia) are hypocrites to the Nth degree.

Stereotyping hurts

Back when The Simpsons was actually funny and relevant, there was one episode in which Homer formed a bowling team and led it to a certain level of success. This is so far irrelevant to the subject except one small detail. One team where the Italian member makes broad, sweeping hand gestures as he speaks and says things like “mama mia” as he speaks, and several other broad-stroke characters with well-known racial characteristics of that kind, turn and reveal their team name as The Stereotypes. It drew a laugh of a size proportionate to the groans I make when I see people crapping on about how autistic Lisa Simpson is. For the record, I once dated an Italian woman, and the amount of gesturing she did as she spoke, especially to her elder and far larger brother, put me to shame.