Today other Autistic Advocates and I had our comments deleted and were restricted from commenting on an Autism charity Facebook page.
Where is the transparency when a charity silences those they are purporting to represent?.
Our comments did not violate Facebook's community standards. They were not abusive, not personal, and we did not tag the charity. We did not come in all guns blazing, demanding to meet at high noon. There were no plots hatched at dawn.
What was so offensive and so ban-worthy was to question the deficit-based language used and whether there had been Autistic consultation, and at what level was the Autistic voice involved in the co-design of the program and implementation of training.
When the response is a quick delete, it demonstrates insecurity and an unwillingness to learn from those with lived experience; Autistic people.
Autistics are spoken over, dismissed and ignored every day, but when an Autism charity does it, we will hold them to higher accountability.
They are assisting in perpetuating myths, formulating attitude, and reinforcing stereotypes against the Autistic Community.
Together the Autistic Community must stand and let our voices be heard in our capacity and in our way.
Commentaires