This is Chloe and me.
We all have dreams and this is mine.
I dream that one day we will all be seen as equals. That the voices of all will be heard. As a person with autism I have found the my voice is very rarely heard other than on forums for others with autism and Clay Aiken forums.
I have a voice as any one else does but in my community my label alone sets me up to be seen as a "non-person" within my community. My voice may be no different than any one else's but it goes unheard because many people think that individuals with disabilities are not capable of having a valid thought that may actually be beneficial in teaching others about "their world" or "their viewpoints" of the world they live in.
Funny. I hear others discuss topics so much like what I have shared and if I say the same thing I am literally ignored by my system. I don't get it at all.
Aspiegirl Awareness, My First Vlog:
Something I feel needs shared.
This may upset some people but Autism Awareness speaks of inclusion then it turns around and almost completely excludes the feelings of the same people with autism it claims to care about. I repeat: They make decisions totally excluding the feelings of the autistic's they claim to support.
They allow no adults to participate on the communities other than a few who conform to their views. This leaves society with a somewhat stereotypical idea that all autistic people are the same. We are not all the same. It is called a spectrum disorder for a reason. We come in all ages and a myriad of functioning levels. We all have needs some may have more needs some less but we do not attain the diagnosis because we are fully functional in all ways. If we were the diagnosis would not be needed at all.
My dream is that if they raise awareness of autism and other disabilities that they also incorporate the feelings and thoughts of the group they are raising awareness of. I want to clarify that most autism awareness public advertising focuses on child based issues which is a good thing but it leaves the public unaware of the fact that autism does not go away when the child grows up. I feel they should also raise awareness to the reality and needs of some adults with autism which by the way used to be the children. We do not magically disappear at the age of 18 we are still here and lack of awareness leaves a false conclusion in the general public that autism is only a childhood issue.
I think it could be a great insight for parents to understand some adults with autism and they could assist them in understanding their children better because the parents can get some first hand accounts from people with autism who may have experienced in their childhood many of the same things their children are experiencing today.
Never Stop Dreaming
The prisoner
imprisoned within himself
finds his freedom when he opens his soul
to the imprisoned of the world.
Never stop dreaming.
Kathy
3 comments:
I'm grieved to hear about this situation, and agree with you. It is a pattern repeated over and over, as I know from my own experience with a close family member who lives with harelip/cleft palate syndrome. He learned to cope well and has much success to share, but there does not seem to be a place in the various care organizations that deal with this, for adults living with the condition to be contributors.
I think it's the next logical goal, to tap such excellent resources, as a way to help understand what individuals are facing as well as to learn some of the coping mechanisms they've figured out!
thank you for sharing some insight to autism. Clay Aiken has done so much to bring awareness but you are right, it doesn't magically go away when you turn 18.
Thank you for your insight and courage. Yes, Autism does not go away and there needs to be more awareness of this reality. I will listen to your voice whenever you choose to use it. I found you through my support of Clay Aiken. Amazing how he can bring so many different people together for good.
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