Those on the Autism spectrum; be it parent and/or adult diagnosed in the spectrum should pay close attention to how the current government moves forward on topics of SSI and Healthcare (I’m positive the majority regardless of political affiliation are). We’ve already seen the Education Dept remove the “IDEA” section from their website and now what shall be next. Many school districts have lost funding for their current programs while others are now outsourcing programs and “playbooks” to other organizations as the money fades away.
So how can government at all levels help those with special needs in/out of education? Yes government is part of the answer and problem – PB/TK
I am autistic and I want a more responsible conversation about autism — and that means leaving Barron Trump alone – MATTHEW ROZSA SUNDAY, FEB 19, 2017
Is it appropriate for the autistic community to discuss Barron Trump?
This question ties into deeper issues of how autism should be discussed in respectable public debate. When autism pops up in the news, it is often because people approach the topic in a highly irresponsible or even downright dishonest manner. This is why we see Robert De Niro joining forces with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to claim that mercury in vaccines may cause autism (it doesn’t) or why President Trump could ask a Virginia special education principal about rising autism rates by saying, “When you look at the tremendous increase, it’s really such an incredible — it’s really a horrible thing to watch, the tremendous amount of increase.”
The thing of it is, though, that autism isn’t always debilitating. In fact, it isn’t even always a disability. And it without question has nothing to do with vaccines. If there is one thing I’ve learned from not only being autistic but talking to countless other individuals on the spectrum, it is that very often the hardships associated with this condition stem from the intolerance and cruelty we experience from others — not from our actual neurological atypicality.
Which brings us to the case of Barron Trump, the 10-year-old son of President Donald Trump, who was called out for being autistic (no one knows if he actually is) by a writer for “Saturday Night Live” several weeks ago. The writer was suspended, Trump went on air to call the claim a “disgrace,” and the nation seems to have moved on.
But for autistic people and those who advocate for us, the underlying questions raised by this incident still remain.
“Poorly informed speculation about whether Barron isn’t neurotypical isn’t going to destigmatize autism,” said Kayla Schierbecker, a transgender autistic woman and college undergraduate. “I don’t know what we gain from tearing apart a few cherry-picked examples of typical 10-year-old behavior. When Barron runs for public office the media can reconsider whether the autism question is worth re-opening, but not right now — he hasn’t even graduated fifth grade.”
John Donvan, who co-authored “In a Different Key: The Story of Autism” with Caren Zucker, echoed Schierbecker’s point.
Continue to salon.com article:http://www.salon.com/2017/02/19/i-am-autistic-and-i-want-a-more-responsible-conversation-about-autism-and-that-means-leaving-barron-trump-alone/#comments
