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
Autism Speaks Hurts. Real People Speaking. 