Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #IStandWithNonspeakers
Most recents (11)
When I advocated in front of @VaHouse for my nonspeaking child, his peers, and their teachers, I didn't realize I would be going up against @autismspeaks and @CASProviders
a thread (1/) #IStandWithNonspeakers #ListenToNonspeakers
a thread (1/) #IStandWithNonspeakers #ListenToNonspeakers
A modest, but meaningful bill, HB 1047, was brought forth by Delegate Tran yesterday.
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lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp60…
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lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp60…
The bill would protect nonspeaking students by ensuring that -
a student's need for AAC wouldn't be used as a reason to segregate that student,
school staff receive training to support the student before school starts,
IQ test results wouldn't be used to deny access to AAC
a student's need for AAC wouldn't be used as a reason to segregate that student,
school staff receive training to support the student before school starts,
IQ test results wouldn't be used to deny access to AAC
Some of us are trying to get food and transport money to mothers of autistic children, to get clinical professionals to #AllowAACinTherapy, to #StopChemicalRestraints and to #ListenToNonspeakers.
But the noise people hear out there is a chorus of "OMG, Elon Musk is autistic!"
But the noise people hear out there is a chorus of "OMG, Elon Musk is autistic!"
And although I don't think Elon Musk is all that cool, I'm OK with celebs coming out; it's just that they often don't understand where some of the dire needs are, and they certainly aren't putting their money there.
When last did a celebrity autistic say #IStandWithNonspeakers? They just step aside from that part of autism advocacy because they know they'd be out of their depth; so they leave it to the professionals and the moms to speak over nonspeakers. All they needed to do is to say,...
The production and launch of Sia's movie Music has left people divided. These are the main groups:
1. Those who listen to what nonspeaking autistic people say and who want to amplify their words.
2. Those who just want to say their own thing and don't care much what nonspeaking people say.
People who SAY they care about nonspeaking autistic people can't be judged merely on how much they talk about it. They can work with nonspeakers, have a nonspeaking brother, start an organisation to support parents and research etc. etc.
But...
But...
Are they advancing nonspeaking autistic people's rights?
Communication is a human right.
Listen to what nonspeaking autistic people are saying helps them communicate, so that others can be helped too.
Communication is a human right.
Listen to what nonspeaking autistic people are saying helps them communicate, so that others can be helped too.
Oralism strangles communication.
[THREAD] If you're an autistic activist who speaks, and you've recently joined the fight for the communication rights of nonspeaking autistic people, I want you to know that you're going to have opposition, particularly from ABA people. This thread is to help you in that fight.
Your priority shouldn't be policing person-first language and puzzle pieces, or people calling themselves 'autism moms'. Those things can wait. Your focus should be on communication access for their children. You need to SUPPORT them in getting that. They may not know it exists.
I have been in this area of advocacy for several years now, as a speaking autist advocating for nonspeakers' rights, and I am able to share some of my learning with you on what works and what doesn't. You win some, you lose some. Let's learn together.
Some months ago I shared a video of nonspeaking autistic author Lucy Blackman typing a conference speech. Today I am sharing Lucy's bio at the Brotherhood of the Wordless site. brotherhoodofthewordless.com/our-authors/lu…
Autism at Cal (at UC Berkeley) has elected @HariSri108 as its new president. Hari is the first nonspeaking autist to fulfil this role. uniquelyhari.blogspot.com/2020/05/presid…
Today I'm sharing a poem by nonspeaking autistic poet Imane Boukaila, titled 'In the Quarantine Body'.
#istandwithnonspeakers
explicitliteraryjournal.com/2020/04/26/cov…
#istandwithnonspeakers
explicitliteraryjournal.com/2020/04/26/cov…
Katharine Beals and team work hard, to the level of fanaticism, to discredit techniques used to help nonspeaking people with poor motor control or apraxia be able to communicate. Facilitated communication has been discredited by a small team who seem to make it their life's goal
They are not scientists, though. They are bullies. These are the same people trying to commandeer ground to discredit that sensory processing disorder affects behaviors. I have evidence of far more than a decade of academic and social bullying of autistic people at their hands
They are part of the crew responsible for editing the Wikipedia articles and having them removed for people like Tito Mukhopadhyay, who literally can use a pencil and write his words, yet they still try to invalidate his words. There's loads of evidence!
Nonspeakers are rarely the authors of their own narratives in academic journals. This article changes that, with nonspeakers Samuel Capozzi, Dillan Barmache and Emma Cladis giving their own direct accounts of mentoring for autistics by autistics. liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/au…
Today I'm sharing a 2018 interview with nonspeaking autist Rhema of the Rhema's Hope blog, in which she gives advice to therapists about helping her and others like her with impulse control and other challenges associated with autism. rhemashope.wordpress.com/2018/03/28/rhe…
Nonspeaking autist Matteo Musso writes about how learning to use a letterboard liberated him, and how ABA is not useful to nonspeakers trying to prevent themselves from having meltdowns. #CommunicationFirst #istandwithnonspeakers the-art-of-autism.com/how-the-letter…
Here's what I see in the lethargic response from most #ABAICon19 delegates towards the idea of condemning torture...
The ABAI leadership and conferencegoers actually don't care about human rights because they don't care about humans.
There's no point anymore in trying to persuade them to care. All that remains now is to show those who do care that the ABAI is a despicable institution, and that membership and adherence to its code of ethics is merely a pact of honour among thieves.
Talking about people in their presence hurts, writes non-speaking autist Rami Kripke-Ludwig. jweekly.com/2019/04/03/i-d…
Today's featured non-speaker is Cindi, who writes about the paradoxes of her autism: "This life of mine is hard just because I have autism. The thing is autism makes my life good too. My family wants it cured. I want it channeled for success." cindisblogtwo.weebly.com/blog/poem-and-…
Damon Kirsebom writes about frustration of being autistic and a non-reliable speaker. Do NOT assume that when his mouth repetitively starts chattering away about Thomas the Tank Engine (which happens often) that he is IN ANY WAY obsessed with trains. unitedforcommunicationchoice.org/damon-kirsebom…
I have undertaken to post a piece of writing, or a video or some other artefact every day from a nonspeaking autistic person who uses words or word-linked symbols to communicate.
I feel that this is necessary, because non-speakers are being suppressed around the world, and deserve to have their words amplified.
I will also gradually start working on a blog series to elucidate the reasons why many autistic people do not speak, and to point to what autistic people themselves have said helps them communicate.
