Autism isn't the Opposite of Normal

This one is for Carol Motts of CFRB Radio who suggested that all parents of autistic children should make them as "normal" as possible, as if it is a parental duty, and for anyone who carelessly suggests that "Autism is a Living Nightmare." I can't imagine that any autistic person would have felt safe to participate in that phone-in discussion and as I tried to make my point on CFRB the other day about sharing, respect and value, the MOTTS hung up the phone on me. I was raising those points because The Motts were discussiong "good behaviour" of students in a precedeing program. Carol began to pontificate that the show of respect was marked by a student saying "please," "thank you," and delivering "eye-contact." I thought these were some good points to go on in discussing how to respect autism in the absence of those capabilities. (Note: I was also told that this wasn't going to be a phone-in and I was the only person being interviewed about The Joy of Autism: Redefining Abiltiy and Quality of Life event).


My next post will be about the responsibility of the media to recognize the polemic discussion of autism without creating more and more divides. It will be about the need to create safe envrionments and healthy dialogue where autistic people can participate with parents, as well as how parents can express the challenges of severe autism without making an autism spectacle that the media feeds upon, and at the peril of all our children.

When The Moon Come Up


Euthanasia Blues