An ad about understanding autism that changes as you move
I looked into the organization that made this ad (national autistic society) and found out that their website actually features posts written by autistic people to persuade people that rather than “curing” autism, the differences among people should be celebrated and theyre primarily recommended to parents learning with new diagnoses :^)
“I’m not naughty, I’m autistic” would’ve changed my life as a kid.
okay but can we also just appreciate how accurately they managed to visually represent what overstimulation feels like?
Hopefully this works, I’ve never tried to share a google drive link before so I’m not sure if I did it right. Anyway if you weren’t aware since the start of January I have been working on a magazine for my senior project that is meant for autistic people and by autistic people. I have received a lot of contributions from other autistic people on my blog in the form of submissions to sections like the positivity section for example, art for the art section, and articles. Most of the magazine was done via submissions from other autistic people. Except for the school advice section which I wrote based on my own experience, and the autistic celebrity and autistic character sections which I wrote myself after doing research. Last week I turned it in at the end of my final class (and I got an A on the magazine by the way 😊).
Like many people with my neurotype, I have a certain affinity for recognizing patterns, and here’s one that I’ve found: no one ever said that my writing was “real” before I knew that I was autistic, or before I started writing about my autism.
…There is something about the word “real,” though, that hits me specifically as an autistic human.
Today, the Centers for Disease Control released the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network report, which estimates the prevalence of autism in certain areas. The results indicate that better recognition of autism, and an encouraging reduction of racial and gender disparities in diagnosis, have caused rates of diagnosis to rise slightly in the communities surveyed. There is more work to do to address the diagnostic disparities that remain, and to ensure that autistic people in all communities receive the supports we need.
The report released today shows that the rate of autism diagnoses in the survey’s sample has increased to 1 in 59 children, or about 1.7% of the survey’s population. This new data is based on analysis of research done in 2014, which administered diagnostic tests to 8-year-old children in 11 communities across the United States. This is consistent with previous studies showing that autistic people make up 1-3% of the population. It is also consistent with 2014’s National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which found an estimated autism prevalence of 2.24% for that same year. The ADDM Network study is meant to be a deep dive look at autism diagnoses in a few specific communities, rather than a nationally representative sample – it is worth keeping in mind that the CDC does not intend the report as an estimate of autism prevalence in the general population.
As in previous years, the CDC found that better identification of autistic people contributed to an increased rate of diagnosis in the ADDM Network communities. In particular, the CDC attributes much of the increase found in this report to narrowing racial disparities in autism diagnosis. In the previous ADDM Network report, white children were about 20% more likely than black children, and 50% likelier than latinx children, to be diagnosed as autistic. The data released today shows that those disparities have been cut in half, to 7% and 22% respectively. The disparity in diagnosis between boys and girls was also reduced, from from 4.5:1 in the previous study to 4:1 in the most recent report.
While this progress is encouraging, there is still much work to be done. For instance, we recognize that clinicians are more likely to mistake autism for behavioral issues in children of color, particularly black and latino boys. These misconceptions can push children of color into the school-to-prison pipeline. Autistic women and girls also remain shockingly underdiagnosed, leaving many without needed services and supports. We must keep working to ensure equitable access to culturally- and gender-competent diagnosis. We expect that rates of diagnosis will continue to rise until diagnostic processes can accurately identify autistic people from all communities.
The findings of today’s report also underscore the need for a study on the prevalence of autism among adults. Autistic people of color, and autistic women and girls, are more likely to have a later diagnosis, so even as the disparities narrow, a survey of of 8-year-olds will not give us a complete picture. Many autistic people need access to long term supports and services into adulthood, and surveying autistic adults would help us better provide those services. It would also counter myths and help to show that autism is as common among adults as among children.
Autism is not a bad thing, and autistic people—of all ages, races, and genders—have always been here. The CDC’s research shows that our data is beginning to catch up to that fact. We encourage researchers, advocates, and the general public to join us in using this new data to ensure that all autistic people are accepted, included, and supported in our communities. Acceptance is an action – we invite you to take it with us.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which autistic people enjoy equal access, rights, and opportunities. We work to empower autistic people across the world to take control of our own lives and the future of our common community, and seek to organize the autistic community to ensure our voices are heard in the national conversation about us. Nothing About Us, Without Us!
Our updated Tumblr URL name reflect the steps we’re taking toward our official name change on July 1, 2018. We will also be releasing a new mission statement, and transitioning to our new website URL. Here’s a snippet of what one of our moderators and community members, Court Alison, has to say:
“…As a person who is both non binary and autistic, I am really excited about this change. It re-affirms our commitment to the work we do and the community we serve. I didn’t have the names to put to my feelings and experiences when I was growing up. It was really challenging not knowing what made me, me.
As a young adult, with relief and pride I realized that I am autistic. Soon after, I learned what it means to be non binary. That happily fit perfectly too. It is my personal hope that the name change will ensure autistic non binary and transgender women of all ages will come to us for support and resources.
Not only does our name change express the ongoing inclusive nature of our work, but also that of the members of the community we serve. The name change is demonstrative of our commitment to inclusivity. This announcement is the first in the steps we are taking towards our legal name change.”
Hooking my way into 2018. Going to the yarn store yesterday 20 mins before closing was a GOOD IDEA because I’m no longer destroying my hands and I’m 22 rows into Mini Rings of Change (which may turn into the massive paid version if my yarn stocks and patience hold out). So yeah, starting 2018 by redirecting self-harming stims and crocheting a massive fuck-off rainbow doily that may in the end cover our whole double bed.
*devil horns* I know how to ring the changes, peeps. Rock on.
I really wanted to like this book. I liked Raising Blaze, his mother’s parental account. It’s a personal account by an autist, which I always want more of. I even liked the idea of the format, which I know from reviews here put some readers off. But this book’s unique style and presentation soured for me very quickly for one reason – the continual misogyny and male entitlement.
Blaze’s attitude to girls his own or near his own age is disturbing. If they’re a friend, he flies into rages if he so much as sees them talking to another guy. If they’re a new acquaintance, he immediately scouts them as a potential girlfriend and demands their number or email address, then flies into a fury again if they never reply/answer. (Spoiler: None of them ever do.) This jealousy and rage even extends to girls he’s never met or seen – if he meets someone new and finds out they have a sister, then discovers the sister has a boyfriend, he immediately ‘hates’ them. That’s right – hates. And not just in a passing annoyed way – he hates them enough for it to ruin his entire day or a song he liked at the time.
For those who might say ‘he’s a teenager’ or ‘he’s autistic, he can’t do regular relationships’, stop right now. This has nothing to do with age or autism, and everything to do with toxic masculinity. Blaze is the result of a society that tells men, especially quirky men, that they’re ‘entitled’ to whatever girl they like. That if they push hard enough the woman they want will say yes and become a reflection of their desires. Blaze’s incessant girlfriend hunt isn’t born of a desire for romance, intimacy or companionship. The book seems to make it quite clear – he wants a girlfriend because it’s the next achievement marker in life. That’s why he demands the numbers of every girl he meets. The individual woman doesn’t matter, because she’s just an object to be gained; a proof of his masculinity.
The book was written some time ago, so I hope that in the intervening years, Blaze has learned more about what it means to be a receptive, not aggressive partner. Because if he hasn’t… well, women deserve better.
I was miffed that there was no new ThinkGeek Neurodiversity shirt today, so I made a thing. Not that this needs to go on a shirt, but making the thing was fun and surprisingly stimmy and nice to look at so yeah, ‘s all good.
This is my first year after lots and lots of struggle and insecurity and stuff and finally understanding why my brain works the way it does. I’ve seen and experienced last year’s April. It was damn hurtful at times, even for someone pretty new to all the A$ fear mongering. Awareness? No, thanks. Acceptance? Yes! And celebrate the heck out of neurodivergence. So I made a thing that makes me happy. Maybe it makes someone else happy, too.
[Brain made of tree branches, with the word neurodiversity below it.]
knitting in the dark 