Restraint and seclusion are horrifying practices that violate the rights of disabled students. Use our tools and scripts now to tell your members of Congress that enough is enough:
Follow
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
@autselfadvocacy
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s posts
ASAN is outraged by today’s ruling striking down the FDA's ban on the electric skin shock device used at the Judge Rotenberg Center, but this is not the end. We will not rest until no one is subjected to torture in the name of “treatment.” Full statement:
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network condemns Sesame Street’s decision to further stigma against autistic children and adults in their new Public Service Announcements.
“The staff who come into my home should be vaccinated. It's that simple. It's a matter of life and death.”
"Blaming autism for the harmful actions of entitled men is not unprecedented in our society, which is one reason why stigmas around autism persist."
ASAN is excited to announce ’s generous donation, which will fund ASAN’s Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI) program over the next ten years.
ASAN and other disability organizations condemn the movie MUSIC, which promotes deadly restraint practices. This film should never have been made, and it shouldn't be shown. Read our joint statement here:
Mel Baggs, a visionary autistic writer and advocate, has died. Mel was a pillar of the autistic community; ASAN, and neurodiversity as we know it today, would not exist without hir. We are heartbroken. Our thoughts are with Mel's loved ones.
Quote
I see the word has gotten out that we've lost a great activist and amazing human being today :( But Mel lives on in a powerful legacy of ideas and of values. (This is Laura Tisoncik, posting on her account)
ASAN is appalled by comments regarding autism and the invasion of the Capitol on January 6th and repudiates any link between autism and such violence and hatred. Read our full statement:
"History is full of autistic people and people with other cognitive disabilities who were and are compelling, credible activists and leaders. Greta is a part of that tradition, and our community is lucky to have her. Period."
“I don’t understand why you would make bad policy when you could make good policy.” Meet Yuh-Line Niou, a New York Assemblywoman on the autism spectrum.
"This ban will end decades of shock torture at the JRC. We are relieved beyond measure that soon our community members will no longer be punished with dangerous electric shocks for doing things like standing up without permission, making noises, or crying"
“Zoe Gross, director of operations at ASAN, told HuffPost that the mentality that autistic people need to ‘get better’ by learning to appear neurotypical is outdated and harmful.”
m.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/sesame-s
Over the past ten years, autistic advocates have transformed society’s conversation around autism — but much remains to be done before we can truly fulfill the promise of autism acceptance. Read ASAN’s statement on ten years of Autism Acceptance Month:
Looking for an organization by and for autistic people to support this Autism Acceptance Month? Consider ASAN! autisticadvocacy.org/donate
Thanks to your advocacy efforts, Matthew Rushin is finally out of prison after being pardoned last year instead of facing a sentence of ten years in a dangerous miscarriage of justice:
“Activists argue that rather than trying to ‘cure’ or treat the neurodivergent, society should learn to accept, appreciate, and accommodate their needs”
“Autistic women and girls are so absent from mainstream culture that ableist and infantilizing representations are often made and rarely challenged.”
“The Autistic Self Advocacy Network opposes the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court...Our community is likely to experience serious harm if Barrett is confirmed for a lifetime appointment.”
The coalition of disability organizations that met this afternoon with the Director is beginning a press call. Follow this thread for information from the call!
Today marks the start of autism acceptance month! Learn a little more about that here:
We are mourning for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, and far too many more people of color who have been murdered by police. Our job is to fight for a more just world for people with disabilities, so we have a duty to stand against police violence & systematic racism. 1/3
ASAN welcomes the ending of Britney Spears’ conservatorship after 13 years! This movement cannot stop with #FreeBritney — we must free everyone. We know that over 1.3 million people with disabilities live every day under restrictive guardianships that take away our rights. (1/2)
“I am not just talking about ramps, braille and sign language,” Ndopu said. “This is also about giving people with disabilities access to things like joy, love and intimacy.”
"Sincerely, Your Autistic Child” is a powerful new collection of autistic voices by the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network that highlights how parents can avoid common mistakes and misconceptions in raising their child. It's available now here:
“The film hurts a lot. Not just for me, but thinking about my brothers and the other autistic people I love.”
“My anger at Sia is not simply because she called Maddie Ziegler and not me. My anger stems from the fact that Sia...packaged an offensive, reductive, and infantilizing appropriation ... as inspiration porn for consumption by non-autistics.”
“[Masking] means Autistic girls are read as neurotypical, if a little ‘off.’ We occupy an awkward Catch-22: Our differences are alienating, so we hide them. But when we pursue diagnosis, we’re dismissed if we’ve been too successful at social camouflage.” nytimes.com/2020/12/05/opi
As we're starting this panel, the verdict in the Rittenhouse trial has just been announced. This is an obvious and painful reflection of white supremacy in our legal system, and we want to take a moment to acknowledge this before and within this conversation. #ASANGala
“It would mean a whole lot to people with Down syndrome to have inherent value...It's important that people with disabilities are given equal consideration for organ transplants.”
ASAN strongly condemns the President’s regressive World Autism Awareness Day proclamation.
“We may need to re-think the idea that autistic people have difficulties with expressing their emotions and instead consider that non-autistic people may have trouble reading them.”
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the negative things society has to say about autistic kids -- but autism is nothing to be frightened of! Our new booklet “Start Here” gives parents the info they need about autism, services, and so much more.
"That’s what autistic people have been saying for decades…But we’re not believed. We’re not seen as credible agents of knowledge about our own lives."
“People always want me to hide it in pictures. I say no! I earned this wheelchair. It’s no different from a medal I wear on my chest. Why would I hide it?”
"…this feels like a good time to remind everyone that girls, Black people, and yes, even Black girls can be autistic, too. Just because it looks different for us does not mean we aren’t autistic."
“‘The pandemic's demonstrated that there's no longer any excuse for employers to turn disabled workers down if they request to work from home.’"
The autistic community is having vital conversations about centering the needs, experience, and leadership of autistic people of color. We want to update you on the steps ASAN is taking to center anti-racism in all of our work.
“I should not be left out of conversations or presumed incompetent simply because I don’t rely on spoken language.” #ASANGala
ASAN strongly believes that all transgender people should have access to gender-affirming care, and we are deeply troubled by any use of autism as a justification for transphobic efforts that would create barriers to care.
“Police violence affects people with disabilities. It especially affects Black people with disabilities.” Learn more in our plain-language booklet on police violence in the U.S., available here:
autisticadvocacy.org/2020/06/police
“‘Music’ is something that’s doing active harm to people. [The Golden Globes nomination] gives it a veneer of legitimacy that it doesn’t deserve.”
nytimes.com/2021/02/11/mov
"Judy Heumann, like so many disabled people, had to work until her death to maintain the quality of life that she needed to stay in the community and avoid being forced against her will into an institution or nursing home."
“Autistic girls tend to face a lot of pressure not just to act like non-autistic people, but also to live up to the same gendered expectations many girls face.”
vox.com/identities/201
“We believe the most effective interventions will involve teaching both autistic and non-autistic people to recognize each other’s social signals, rather than insisting that autistics behave like non-autistics do"
“‘When we are left out of relief packages like this, Congress is telling us they don’t care whether we live or die,’ said Julia Bascom, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.”
"Autistic people’s capacity to determine our own fates is only as good as the choices that are given to us as a direct result of policy decisions and culture."
“This isn’t something I’d change. No. I get — got — immediately [that] being autistic is central to who I am. To everything I’ve achieved/articulated,”
“Autism is as much a part of me as my green eyes – they can be temporarily disguised, but they’ll always be green underneath. We do not need a cure – because autism is not a disease.”
"I never agreed to sacrifice my health and possibly my life and cannot believe that I am being forced to do so."
buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyac
If passed, the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act would end subminimum wage for people with disabilities, and create new opportunities to help us get and keep real jobs with real pay. ASAN is proud to support this critical piece of legislation.
When we consider Harriet Tubman’s memory, we must not forget her disability... The Harriet Tubman Collective, a group of Black disability activists, is devoted to maintaining her legacy as a Black disabled leader.
"33% to 50% of those killed by police have a disability." chicagotribune.com/news/local/bre
Just some of the amazing autistic women speakers at the UN #AutismDay2018 event. Nothing about us, without us! #EmpowerAutisticWomen
Congress has the power to ban electric shock torture at the JRC through a FDA-related bill. The House just passed its version, and now it’s time for the Senate to act. The Senate must pass their bill with a ban included—call your Senators! autisticadvocacy.org/2022/06/action
“I want people to know that we can achieve a lot if we are able to participate.” David Teplitz and Hari Srinivasen have become the first nonspeaking autistic graduates from U.C. Berkley.
“The convenient cries of ‘mental health’ after mass shootings are worse than hypocritical. They’re factually wrong and stigmatizing to millions of completely nonviolent Americans living with severe mental illness.” #NotYourScapegoat
Judy Heumann talks about the history of the disability rights movement, and why we are not done yet.
ted.com/talks/judith_h
Autistic people need and deserve better services, especially those of us with the highest needs — but the “profound autism” label doesn’t help. We will continue to advocate for research and services that meet the needs and promote the dignity of all of us.
We’ve all joined forces to declare June 6th a national Day of Action to #SaveMedicaid – and we need YOU owl.li/6A6r30ckxk8
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network forcefully condemns the Trump Administration’s unconscionable policy of separating immigrant families at the border, and the subsequent incarceration and warehousing of infants and children.
“The Academy has a huge opportunity to show its commitment to the inclusion revolution by installing a ramp to the stage...Doing so is crucial to reinforce the powerful messages of ‘Crip Camp,’ whether the film wins an Oscar or not.”
Today marks the start of autism acceptance month! Learn a little more about that here:
rootedinrights.org/autistic-peopl
#AutismAcceptanceMonth
“The Autistic Self Advocacy Network opposes the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court...Our community is likely to experience serious harm if Barrett is confirmed for a lifetime appointment.”
"If long Covid changes anything, it has to be this knee-jerk reaction in medicine to discount and give up on patients with symptoms that have no identifiable biological basis."
People with disabilities at the JRC are being tortured with electric shocks for “misbehavior” ranging from stimming to standing up without permission.
The FDA has the power to end this torture and #StopTheShock. Find out what you can do:
CW gaslighting, medical trauma, ableism
"If autistic people are constantly told that their sensory pain “isn’t a big deal,” why would we assume you would take our physical pain seriously?"
“No one is diagnosed with autism on the basis of being “just quirky.” That’s a characterization far more likely to be used to deny a diagnosis to women, girls, female-presenting and gender non-conforming people.” #ActuallyAutistic
thinkingautismguide.com/2018/05/autist
"…this feels like a good time to remind everyone that girls, Black people, and yes, even Black girls can be autistic, too. Just because it looks different for us does not mean we aren’t autistic."
ASAN strongly believes that all transgender people should have access to gender-affirming care, and we are deeply troubled by any use of autism as a justification for transphobic efforts that would create barriers to care.
ASAN is proud to announce the release of "Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism". These essays discuss growing up undiagnosed, navigating the world as an autistic adult and the power of learning we're autistic
Get your copy here:
“Russell may be the first person with Down syndrome to run for public office anywhere, according to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.”
“Autism has received a lot of attention in the last decade; however, the harsh reality is that there are still millions of people who don’t know nearly enough about autism, what it is and how it affects people.”
autismpastor.com/?p=2520
This #AutismAcceptanceMonth, YOU can make a difference in the lives of autistic people. With a call, email or tweet, you can help #StopTheShock torture of students with disabilities at the Judge Rotenberg Center. Find out how here: autisticadvocacy.org/stoptheshock/ and on this thread:
ASAN is glad to see the FDA has asked for review of the decision that struck down the ban on devices used to torture people with disabilities. It is critical that the full court move swiftly to reinstate the ban and prevent further torture. Full statement:
ASAN is mourning for Judy Heumann, a pioneering disability rights activist who passed away yesterday at age 75. From disability rights protests and legislative advocacy to work in government and much more, Judy was a leader in the disability rights movement for most of her life.
ASAN strongly believes that all transgender people should have access to gender-affirming care, and we are deeply troubled by any use of autism as a justification for transphobic efforts that would create barriers to care.
"'There is a very long history in the United States of forced sterilization of people – especially women of color – with disabilities or perceived disabilities,' said Sam Crane, legal director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network."
“This grief for their hypothetical non-disabled child prevents them from really loving the child right in front of them. It’s really hurtful. Why would you grieve for us?” asks ACI Alum Vivian Ly.
citynews1130.com/2019/10/06/aut
“Many disabled members of the LGBTQ community are forced to sit out Pride month because too often, we literally can't even get in through the front door."
cnn.com/travel/article
We’re about to start livetweeting the 8th Annual Autism Public Health Lecture: "Nothing About Us Without Us: Autistic People Shaping Research and Policy About Our Lives", where our executive director is speaking.
Join us by following this thread!
Check out this video about Geneva Hakaraia who’s working to make te reo Māori accessible to non-speaking people through augmentative and alternative communication devices.
Even as people head to the polls today, we likely won’t have results tonight. Every vote needs to be counted, and more mail-in ballots means this is slower than usual! Taking the time to count every vote is more important than getting the results tonight.
Three police officers and two paramedics have been charged for the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old neurodivergent Black man.
“Ableism can also show up in more covert, seemingly innocuous ways. Holding a business meeting in an inaccessible location or recording a webinar without closed captioning are examples of everyday ableism.”
"It is a lot of work to be poor and disabled. In a country where health care is not a right, the Medicaid redeterminations reinforce the precarious state of marginalized communities in relationship to the state."
“My son is here now. I want autism research to focus on giving him the best life possible, not on trying to erase him, or change him into a non-autistic person.”
thinkingautismguide.com/2019/10/its-ti
“There’s a new law on the books in Massachusetts that will create a state registry for caretakers who have abused people with disabilities.”
Justice cannot be reached with one verdict — we must work toward justice by transforming our society to end the ongoing crisis of anti-Black police violence that presents a daily threat to so many of our community members. Read our statement here:
Check out this video about Geneva Hakaraia who’s working to make te reo Māori accessible to non-speaking people through augmentative and alternative communication devices:
"Disability isn’t the opposite of ability. It’s a variation in the human condition, a boundless way of interacting in the world." psyche.co/amp/ideas/lets
Check out this list of opportunities to support Black people with disabilities, including the Autistic People of Color Fund!
nylon.com/life/black-peo
As we celebrate #ADA30, we're proud to announce our new Easy Read toolkit, A Self-Advocate's Guide to the Americans with Disabilities Act! This resource explains our ADA rights in cognitively accessible formats. Check it out here!
“I started to cry. So many things – seemingly unrelated failings, sensitivities, neuroses, which have shaped my life – suddenly made sense”
the-pool.com/health/health/
Replying to
Black lives matter. Police must be held accountable for murders they commit.
Police violence and overpolicing affect people with disabilities, overwhelmingly people of color with disabilities, in many ways. 2/3
“Alaskan businesses will no longer be allowed to pay disabled workers less than the minimum.”
thinkprogress.org/alaska-minimum
A new report from the Department of Defense finds that Applied Behavior Analysis is not effective in the largest-scale study yet:
therapistndc.org/aba-is-not-eff
“It’s clearly a well-intentioned bill, but anyone who is living this can tell you how quickly it can fall apart in practice,” says our executive director Julia Bascom
ASAN’s equity plan, available in formal language, plain language, & Easy Read, shares steps we will take to listen to our community, create an anti-racist work culture, focus on advocacy that benefits our multiply-marginalized community members, & more.