Comments on: More on Making a Mockery of Disability

By: jason nolan

jason nolan — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:26:32 +0000

If I can get the hoped for funding to keep it up I think it will be good. He was already up on what the AWN was doing, and we talked about doing a conference at my school organized, and run, by the autistic community, with primarily autistic presenter and the support community that we would like to talk to us about issues that interest us. He’s on board in any capacity that might help us. I just gotta get ASAN Toronto set up first.

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Perhaps we need to start a petition to ask Tony to grow up.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 03:36:04 +0000

“When minority people say, “Stop mocking us,” you just stop, even if you don’t completely get it, even if you need to think on it, even if it’s inconvenient. You stop because you’re potentially hurting people, and the people you’re talking about know a great deal more than you do about what your words mean to their lives.”

This is so universally true. I just wanted to say that and thank you for writing this.

By: Sparrow Rose Jones

Sparrow Rose Jones — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 18:48:56 +0000

Wow, I also have diabetes and autism and I’ve never once been bullied about my diabetes. I’m so sorry to hear that, Alex! I can’t even imagine what someone might say. “Do you *have* to do that *here*? Eewwww! Blood!” That’s about all I can even *think* that someone might say — it’s so unthinkable to me!

But, time and again, people have proven to be capable of the unthinkable. *sigh* So I don’t doubt you for a moment, Alex! Sadly, I don’t doubt it at all!

And, yes, I’m all about standing up to the bullies. Some of them don’t realize what they’re doing and they will learn. Others won’t learn but our standing up to them will serve as an example to teach others who are paying attention. People need to know what’s appropriate and acceptable and what is not. We do a great service by demonstrating just that through our responses to people.

By: Alex Wilkinson

Alex Wilkinson — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 12:08:56 +0000

Thanks for your post. I’m in the position of having both diabetes and Asperger’s and I’ve been bullied because of both; consequently it’s wrong to suggest that discrimination isn’t present for other condtions and illnesses.

I read Atwood’s complete guide to Asperger’s Syndrome and I thought that he was at least sympathetic to the issues that we face. It would appear that I was wrong and I’m extremely disappointed. I think it’s important that we bring this article to his attention. Perhaps he might learn to be a bit more inclusive. We could lead with this question: what kind of person mimics those who s/he aims to be helping?

Personally, I’ve had enough of bullies and I feel that it’s time we stood up to them.

By: Karla Fisher

Karla Fisher — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:50:55 +0000

I live all alone on 40 remote acres. I do not go out very often and I always have a queue of friends waiting for me to store up enough tokens to visit with them. Sometimes they get a bit angry or antsy with me as months will often pass before I can spend the time with them. Sometimes I get mad and/or sad when I see my friends at a party on facebook that I would love to go to… but I cannot.

It takes inordinate amounts of tokens every day for me to do the work that I do. I need my down time and my quiet alone time. It is not something that is a choice but a need just as medicine is a need for a diabetic.

When Tony did this “Aspie routine” of the couple turning off the lights and the room erupted in laughter at them, I realized that not one of the people in that room had empathy for the seriousness of this need.

By: GirlWithTheCane

GirlWithTheCane — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 03:12:27 +0000

I was not familiar with Tony Attwood before hearing about his, frankly, deplorable display at the conference through this blog and a few others…it’s baffling to me.

I’m NT, but quite introverted…much more so than I appear to be when I’m out in public. Particularly since the stroke I had 15 years ago, large crowds can be overwhelming, particularly if I have to concentrate on one conversation when a lot of others are going on around me, and a simple trip to the grocery store can sometimes be a lot to handle. I need a lot of “down time” to maintain the level of extroversion that I’m required to, and I can’t imagine how it would feel to see that mocked by someone who claimed to be an ally.

I don’t know what this man thought he was trying to accomplish, but shame on him.

By: Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg

Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 19:03:29 +0000

It’s such a blessing to have a therapist with a disability rights perspective. I have one who is an Asperger’s expert *and* understands disability rights, and it’s such a relief from my previous one. I’ve never once heard her say, “It’s all your individual problem to get over, and we’re not going to talk about how injustice and ignorance affect your state of mind.” To the contrary. We talk a lot about the obstacles the world throws in my path and how to engage them politically and professionally as well as emotionally and spiritually. Hope your experience turns out to be as positive.

By: jason nolan

jason nolan — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 18:45:14 +0000

I was working with a new therapist last week, and we were testing each other out. He’s non-medical model with good politics, yada yada, but I mentioned your blog posts about tony attwood, and he smiled and said something “I think Tony’s offended just about everyone.” made me feel a bit more comfortable as it was a totally unscripted response. Thanks for the posts.