tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post1102448174499443774..comments2024-03-20T21:06:34.109-04:00Comments on That Crazy Crippled Chick: Boldly Going Nowhere: An Open Letter to William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Sir Patrick StewartCara Liebowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11860032209178249016noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post-77020154791846247112012-12-29T01:07:10.261-05:002012-12-29T01:07:10.261-05:00Spookiewon, it's perfectly okay if you don'...Spookiewon, it's perfectly okay if you don't share my opinions and the opinions of many Autistic activists. In that case, I don't stand with you and I apologize for making generalizations. However, in no place did I say that ALL autistic people object to Autism Speaks. I apologize if that was the impression you got. However, I stand with the autistics who object to Autism Speaks, because they feel it does not represent them and I agree with that sentiment. Personally, in terms of the difficulties of disability, I feel much of it (but not all) comes from the way society treats us and the fear-mongering that is spread about disability, such as language like "epidemic" and "tsunami" to describe disability. I am certainly in support of treatments to make disability less difficult, such as pain management, but I am uncomfortable with the idea of preventing disabled babies from ever being born, for many reasons. I don't think it is possible to celebrate diversity while simultaneously trying to wipe out the very people that make our society diverse.<br /><br />Many people who object to Autism Speaks, including many prominent Autistic activists, prefer the identity first language. Below are links to autistic activists specifically explaining why they prefer identity first language. All of them have expressed strong objections towards Autism Speaks:<br /><br />Julia Bascom, founder of the Loud Hands Project: http://illusionofcompetence.blogspot.com/2012/08/disability-first-autism-is-not-accessory.html<br /><br />Lydia Brown: http://www.autistichoya.com/2011/08/significance-of-semantics-person-first.html, http://www.autistichoya.com/2011/11/identity-and-hypocrisy-second-argument.html, and http://www.autistichoya.com/2011/12/people-first-create-environment-of.html<br /><br />And finally Jim Sinclar's "Why I Dislike People First Language": http://autismmythbusters.com/general-public/autistic-vs-people-with-autism/jim-sinclair-why-i-dislike-person-first-language/<br /><br />Although I recognize that not all autistic people/people with autism prefer the terminology, it is by and large the terminology that my friends in the autistic community have expressed they prefer, so for the purposes of this letter/blog post, I went with "autistic".<br /><br />Please let me know if you have any further concerns.<br /><br />Cara Liebowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11860032209178249016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post-27444063301634421682012-12-28T23:19:43.635-05:002012-12-28T23:19:43.635-05:00As it happens, I'm BOTH a disabled person AND ...As it happens, I'm BOTH a disabled person AND a person with autism, and you don't "stand with" me. SOME people with autism object to "Autism Speaks," but not by any means all. As it happens, you've missed the entire point of the ST:TNG episode you relate. There is a difference between not allowing disabled persons to be born and wanting to cure their disabilities. I'm also gay, and I'm often asked if I'd want my child to be gay. NO! I'll say that again so you get it. NO!! That doesn't mean I think there's anything wrong with being gay, it means my life has been immeasurably more difficult because I'm gay. It's also been immeasurably more difficult due to my disability, and my autism, and I wouldn't wish my child to have those difficulties either. Would you HONESTLY wish your own child to have cerebral palsy, or depression? I sincerely doubt you would choose that, if you had the choice. Celebrating diversity doesn't mean hoping we'll always have people whose lives are more difficult than they need to be. <br /><br />I had already been a Trekkie for more years than you have now been alive by the time you were born (Since 1966!!) I stand with Bill Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Sir Patrick Stewart, and with The Great Bird of the Galaxy, in celebrating diversity of all kinds.<br /><br />And BTW, those people who object to Autism Speaks? They also object to being called "autistic." They prefer you call them "PERSONS WITH AUTISM." Me? I'm cool being called autistic. And disabled. And gay.spookiewonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post-26384547569012977012012-12-16T17:51:21.636-05:002012-12-16T17:51:21.636-05:00Sorry, my browser posted my first comment twice.Sorry, my browser posted my first comment twice.Vince Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15852291110577459994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post-51854221474949715642012-12-08T10:20:31.960-05:002012-12-08T10:20:31.960-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Vince Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15852291110577459994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6495205444562241273.post-80261157873117994972012-12-08T10:19:51.565-05:002012-12-08T10:19:51.565-05:00Speaking of Star Trek and Autism...
http://lifethe...Speaking of Star Trek and Autism...<br />http://lifetheuniverseandeverythingautism.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/autism-for-trekkies.htmlVince Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15852291110577459994noreply@blogger.com