They’re pretty much the autism version of the ex-gay movement.
“
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-Me (Adelene) on Autism Speaks. I was thinking about very quick ways to explain the problem with them today after discovering that there’s a walk in my town next weekend, and then that very issue came up with the cashier at the grocery store. Seemed to work, too. (via adelenedawner)
Pretty accurate, yo.
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re: Autism Speaks (again)
evolvingwithautism:
I’m hesitant to even enter into this, but it’s hard for me to see misinformation being spread to innocent people looking for answers.
I just saw a post where someone asked “I see a lot of posts about Autism Speaks, mostly from people who are actually on the spectrum, complaining about the organization. Why is that?”
The first lie-filled paragraph of the response was “Firstly, they’re extremely anti-science. They seriously believe that autism is caused by vaccines, and they think it can be cured by ABA, chelation, veganism, a gluten-free diet…”
I don’t know either of these people and I have no connection to Autism Speaks. But the fact is, Autism Speaks makes their stance on vaccines very clear, and it couldn’t be more different than what was portrayed there.
As per this page, Autism Speaks has this view of vaccines: “Many studies have been conducted to determine if a link exists between vaccination and increased prevalence of autism, with particular attention to the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and those containing thimerosal. These studies have not found a link between vaccines and autism. We strongly encourage parents to have their children vaccinated, because this will protect them against serious diseases. It remains possible that, in rare cases, immunization might trigger the onset of autism symptoms in a child with an underlying medical or genetic condition. Autism Speaks is funding studies on the underlying biology of autism, including studies to better understand medical and genetic conditions that are associated with autism.”
So please, please, if you are looking for information about a medical condition (or pretty much anything), do proper research and do not get your answers from people on Tumblr.
They’ve only changed that recently, as I know people who’ve been involved in the organization, and they say that they support the likes of Jenny McCarthy. I’ve heard that they changed it because the lady who wanted to commit murder-suicide (she was employed by Autism Speaks, and a quite important employee) disagreed with them; she didn’t think autism was caused by vaccines. I was giving brabomb the actual facts, not the facade Autism Speaks puts up to avoid people quitting.
Also, my source isn’t Tumblr, it’s ASAN and RationalWiki.
Oh, if anyone’s interested, here’s the interview where Murder-Suicide Lady explains how she disagreed with Autism Speaks on the vaccine issue. This proves they’ve only recently changed their position.
Can I ask you something? I see a lot of posts about Autism Speaks, mostly from people who are actually on the spectrum, complaining about the organization. Why is that? I mean, some of their campaigns kind of creep me out (that whole "I'm contemplating murder/suicide!" thing comes to mind), but I was kind of looking for a more educated opinion rather than my own gatherings.
Firstly, they’re extremely anti-science. They seriously believe that autism is caused by vaccines, and they think it can be cured by ABA, chelation, veganism, a gluten-free diet…
Secondly, they promote eugenics, considering that they think neurotypicals are better than autistic people, and thus they try to eradicate autism/autistics. Which is eugenics, and extremely dangerous.
They’re basically what we in the autistic community call “curebies”, people who want to cure autism. They’re also quacks, with all their anti-vaccine shit. And yeah, considering their promotion of murder, just generally creepy.
It should also be noted that they don’t have a single autistic member, making their name extremely misleading.
If you’re interested, my friend Rose has written a pretty good post about it.
Hope this helps ^_^
thenoblerab:
Well everyone else in the tags was talking about Jesus and posting art for Autism Speaks. I didn’t want to be left out.
Um… I hope that use of “retard” was supposed to be ironic.
So… I just edited the Wikipedia article for “Autism Speaks” to place them in the Eugenics category.
No regrets, lol. You all know it’s true, anyway…
Your idiotic attempt to belittle what I wrote just proves my point. That you're an ignorant little kid who likes to make a fuss about things you don't care to understand fully. (And don't say something like, "I *have* autism, you privileged bitch!", because it's irrelevant) You have nothing of substance to counter me with, because you know you're full of shit. Also, there's nothing "anti-science" about anything I said. <3
Anonymous
lolololol. You do have privilege, and if you refuse to see that, you’re just a total asshat. Which you already are, but whatever. Learn something about privilege. And hell yeah, it’s anti-science. Because a cure for autism has been proven impossible. Do your fucking research. A few good links:
Don’t Mourn For Us
RationalWiki
This is what “scientists”, also known as crackpots, are doing to cure us.
Autism Speaks does not speak for us. They employ no actual autistic person; autists are not allowed to speak. Instead, the Mighty Powerful Neurotypical is supposed to decide what we are allowed to think.
Oh, and don’t think I don’t know who you are because you put this on anon. xD You’re incredibly condescending towards “low-functioning” autists. Many of my friends have classic autism, and some of them are unable to communicate verbally. That does not mean they aren’t worthy of being treated like fucking human beings. Our problem is not autism itself, it’s ableist fucks.
Just found out that P!nk donated money to Autism Speaks…
P!nk, I am disappoint. :/ But it’s just… really hard to find out that a person you look up to and admire is bigoted towards people like you. Doesn’t mean I’ll stop listening to her music or admiring her, but still…
kinseychesney:
My brother, Luke. Hes going to be 4 in February and is the light of my life. He pushes me on. He makes me smile, laugh, cry and pull my hair out. He may not be able to express himself through words but he does through actions. Hes the sweetest little man Ive even known, and one of the sweetest people on this earth. Hes sympathetic when your hurt, he hugs you when you cry, he laughs when you play with him, and wants you to be the center of his world. Hes my little man and he hold my heart in the palm of his little hands.
Luke James Jones has a rare form of Autism, that the doctors cant even diagnose. He has had EEGs multiply times and has epilepsy, he takes 5 to 6 pills a day to keep the seizures away.
He is a Autism Solder and IS the face of Autism.
If you really care about him, stop fucking supporting Autism Speaks. They are goddamn bigoted ableists who try to fucking cure us, despite the fact that we don’t want to be cured, and it’s blatantly anti-science. If you are pro-Autism Speaks, you are pro-bigotry and pro-discrimination.
Walk Now For Autism Speaks!
bikini-thin:
Was at the Walk for Autism all day today! I had so much fun and met so many sweet kids. I love my philanthropy! Alpha Xi Delta <3’s Autism Speaks
This is not philanthropy. This is ableism. Autism Speaks are an organization for privileged neurotypicals pretending to give a fuck about actual autists. If you support that piece of shit organization, then go fuck yourself, I probably already hate you. Oh, and your blog is awful and fatphobic.
