Why Boycott Autism Speaks?

Why do we boycott?

This is a Civil Rights Movement.

Our intentions with the boycott are to bring the experiences of the REAL authority on Autism, Autistic people, as central to the conversation about Autism.

We seek for Autistic Voices to lead.

We seek to empower Autistic people by showing the world that Autistic lives are valuable, no matter the amount of support or interdependence is needed to live our lives.

We embrace the values of Neurodiversity, Disability Rights and Disability Justice.

We seek for the elimination of hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric when talking about our lives.

We acknowledge and honor the fact that Disability is a natural part of the human experience, just as the ADA stated almost 25 years ago. Disability is never shameful and we are proud of our identities as Disabled & Autistic!

We seek Acceptance, Inclusion, and Respect.

WE DO NOT SEEK A CURE. A cure is not only unlikely, as Autism is our neurological wiring and essential to who we are as human beings, but it also directly contradicts our stated goals.

We seek unity among all Autistics through the elimination of ridiculous, arbitrary and ableist functioning labels. We acknowledge that the use of those labels is something that groups like Autism Speaks use to silence us and discount us.

We boycott because we want a better future for Autistic people. The future we envision is fundamentally shaped by these ideals. We don’t just imagine a better world for Autistic people and our families, friends and loved ones, we are creating it.

The following joint letter explains why Autism Speaks is not an organization that ethical businesses should sponsor, fundraise for, or otherwise offer support. If Sponsors are interested in supporting Autistic people, we urge them to support one of the worthy organizations represented on this statement.

http://autisticadvocacy.org/2014/01/2013-joint-letter-to-the-sponsors-of-autism-speaks/

For more info on why Autism Speaks is not an organization you should support you can google “Why is Autism Speaks bad?” you can also find valuable information within the post linked below:

http://thecaffeinatedautistic.wordpress.com/new-autism-speaks-masterpost-updated-62014/

If you are looking for other organizations to support, we suggest these two:

Autism Women’s Network

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BAS Statement about Autism Speaks Board Appointments

 

Recently, Autism Speaks announced the appointment of three new individuals to their Board of Directors. Two of these individuals, Valerie Paradiz and Stephen Shore, are Autistic adults. While bringing Autistic people onto the board is a step in the right direction the politics of the organization remain unchanged and therefore our opposition to it will not waver. Until they stop researching cure, and spreading fear and hatred of Autistic people they are still everything that we stand against.

Boycottautismspeaksinfo@gmail.com

BAS statement re: ASA

Original Post here.

Boycott Autism Speaks is extremely disappointed in the decision of the Autism Society of America to give a prominent platform to Caren Zucker & John Donvan authors of “In A Different Key” at their annual conference.

This book presents many falsehoods and inaccuracies about the neurodiversity & autistic rights movements and about prominent disability activists. The book even sympathizes with parents who commit filicide against their disabled children.

An organization that claims to work for the autistic community cannot condone or endorse such dangerous misinformation. An organization that claims to work for us cannot pretend that this is an attempt to promote “both sides” when one side is literally fighting for our own humanity and civil rights.

We at BAS want to reiterate that we are more than just a boycott of Autism Speaks. We are a civil rights movement. One cannot claim to stand with us in the boycott when they embrace the same ideas that we are fighting against. If an organization supports the same principles as Autism Speaks, they do just as much harm to our communities.

If you support BAS, you support the neurodiversity movement. You support Autistic rights, autistic self determination and authentic inclusion. We do not just boycott one organization, but the ideas behind it that have held us back and caused our communities so much harm.

For more information, please read Amy Sequenzia’s article on the PACLA blog:

https://autloveaccept.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/about-the-autism-society-of-america-on-ddom2016/

If you are looking for organizations to support, look locally. Who is actually helping Autistic people in your area? Who is working to ensure that our rights and interests are centered? If there is no such organization, ask yourself what you can do to support Autistic people in your individual communities.

Boycott Autism Speaks officially supports these organizations:

Autism Women’s Network,
Tone it Down Taupe
Ed Wiley Autism Acceptance Lending Library.

#BoycottAutismSpeaks