Tag: autistic

Autism Speaks Canada shuts down in January. Good.

a4aontario
A4A members protesting at the Autism Speaks Walk, 2018

By Autistics for Autistics

As Canada’s autistic-led advocacy group and an international affiliate of the Autistic Self Advocacy Organization, we are relieved that Autism Speaks Canada will be shutting down in January of 2025.

Autism Speaks Canada has long sponsored a pseudoscientific “autism gene” project that collected 10,000 Canadian autistic children’s DNA, without their consent, for use in a shared database by scam artists around the world to develop genetics-related products–including prenatal tests that do not truly detect autism and that lead to the termination of healthy, planned pregnancies. Their DNA boondoggle has never found an autism gene (surprised-NOT), but it has certainly promoted the idea that we don’t deserve to be born.

As well, Autism Speaks Canada held back progress on Canadian inclusion and disability access by lobbying for a National Autism Strategy that would allocate the lion’s share of federal autism funding to a consortium of less than 5 autism orgs through sole-source contracting, without any opportunity for groups to apply. This left autistic-led groups and other local agencies without a seat at the policy table, unlike the US, who include autistic groups in their policy meetings.

Shockingly, in its farewell message Autism Speaks Canada actually highlighted those two projects as their major achievements. It perhaos reveals the real reason they failed: They were never able to focus donor dollars–or energy–on the needs and ideas of the community because they were caught up in “curing” autism & keeping control of funding dollars.

Harmon Pope, chair of ANLFO, an Ottawa-based rights group, has been monitoring & leading protest actions against Autism Speaks for the past 5 years. “I’d been noticing their local team in Ottawa slowly losing influence,” said Harmon, who emphasized the need to challenge other autism organizations in Canada that have similar policy positions to Autism Speaks.

This is an opportunity for autistics and our families to collaborate locally to build new, neuro-affirming spaces and projects. If you are interested in this, or in helping advocate to the federal and provincial governments, please contact us here. We also welcome donations of any size, here.

As A4A Board Member Gaby put it: “It’s a Christmas miracle, Charlie Brown!” Let’s take this opportunity to undo the damage Autism Speaks has done in our community, and create something better.

–The Autistics for Autistics Board of Directors

Support Bill C-273 to ban physical punishment of children in Canadian schools—& everywhere

a4aontario

More than sixty countries around the world have banned physical punishment of children—but in Canada, physical punishment of kids is endorsed by the Criminal Code!

We have a chance to help keep kids in Canada safe. (See below for how to email your MP.)

Peter Julian, a Member of Parliament from Burnaby BC, has introduced a Private Member’s motion, Bill C-273,  An Act to amend the Criminal Code. It would remove Section 43 of the Criminal Code that permits physical punishment of children in Canada.

Right now, the Criminal Code of Canada Sec. 43, states: “Every schoolteacher, parent or person standing in for a parent is justified in using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his care…” The legislation was written 1892.

MP Julian’s Bill would repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code and “end the legalized physical punishment of children in Canada,” in the words of MP Julian.

Amazingly, this is not a sure win. In fact, there have been 18 attempts over the years for a repeal. In 2003, the issue was brought before the Supreme Court of Canada who  ruled that the Criminal Code could continue to allow physical punishment of kids. As many of us have experienced and witnessed, violence and abuse towards children (especially in special education and especially students of colour) is not only tolerated, it is normalized.

Repealing Section 43 of the Criminal Code would create a legal grounds for individuals and families to fight back against Canadian schools’ use of seclusion rooms, restraint and all forms of physical abuse.

Please take a moment to find your MP’s email address/phone and contact to their office with this message, or one of your choosing:

“As your constituent, I am urging you to support Bill C-273, a Member’s Bill by MP Julian. It is long past time to end the physical punishment of children in school or any other setting. It is banned in more that 60 countries already. Please vote in favour of this Bill.”

There is no date set for the vote, but it could come up fast. The third reading is in progress, last step before MPs vote. Let your MP know how you feel today!

Many thanks to A4A member Cheryl for research! And many thanks to all for contacting your MPs.

__

Autistics for Autistics is Canada’s self-advocacy organization. We are an autistic-led group and an international affiliate of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).
Media requests: a4aontario@gmail.com

Autistic advocacy in Ontario: Highlights from 2022

a4aontario

The past year has been exciting, as we returned to in-person events and continue to grow, with new projects and connections across Canada!

Some highlights:

  • We raised the neurodiversity flag at Toronto City Hall, after 2 years of virtual observances. It was incredible to be together again in real life and to break bread (well, cake) and feel so welcomed by the protocols staff at Toronto City Hall. Thank you to all who attended.
  • We provided info & spoke before the Senate of Canada, together with Autistics United Canada (AUC), about the need for federal policymakers to move from a charity perspective to a rights perspective. Canadian policymakers need to begin to study best practices in disability policy and consult with autistic-led groups.
  • We continued to partner with the Centre for Independent Living Toronto (CILT) to improve vaccine access for autistic/disabled people through the Disability Vaccine Outreach Initiative, including our vaccine info webinar, social media outreach and one-to-one outreach by our amazing Vaccine Ambassadors, Gaby and Sam, to ensure access for autistic Torontonians with support needs. We are so glad that CILT included us in this important project!
  • We led the annual Disability Day of Mourning in Ontario, remembering those who were murdered by their parents/caregivers and saying: Never Again. Our members read names, gave speeches and provided support through a virtual vigil on March 2. Thank you to everyone who made this important vigil happen.
  • A4A members presented to the Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers and to University of Waterloo about inclusion, student life and new research on autistic students in college and university. We have more invitations to present on this topic early in the new year!
  • We continued our groundbreaking Autistic Health Outreach Project, educating Canadian medical students about autistic health access needs at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University medical schools.
  • We continued to support and collaborate with Community Living Ontario to work towards ending abusive long-term care and institutional housing in our province, through the Alliance on Aging and Disability. Thank you to all partners for all their hard work on this issue, to our rep Taryn and to Shawn from Community Living for inviting us.
  • A4A was an organizing partner in the online annual Canadian national conference on the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (United Nations), which was hosted by the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, streamed on Accessible Media International and featured speakers and participants from around the world.
  • We were contacted by media for stories about ABA, restraint and seclusion in schools, media portrayals of autism and other topics. It was especially awesome to be contacted by OWL magazine for their neurodiversity feature!
  • We consulted with a community coalition about the need to modify the existing Accessibility for Ontarians Act. At present, autistics are not included among the disabled groups protected by this legislation, creating a barrier when we try to seek inclusion and pursue human rights complaints.
  • We attempted to consult with the Public Health Agency of Canada about priorities in federal autism appropriations. Unfortunately, PHAC continued its pattern of devaluing autistic people’s input and time, so for the well-being of our reps we left the conversation. We will continue to connect with MPs, Senators and other federal agencies instead.
  • We continued to educate employers on inclusive supports and communication access for autistic people through our Autistic At Work presentation, and to present to mental health organizations about access and inclusion.
  • We began to plan for 2023, including launching our Neurodiversity Library with support from the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; joining a new, national coalition project to work for regulating legislation on restraint and seclusion in schools; taking action to promote supported independent living options for autistic and intellectually disabled people; new advocacy to protect people with epilepsy from cyber attacks; policy work, education initiatives and much more.

I feel so honoured to work with the Board and volunteers, who are the most incredible people. Any policymaker, parent, educator or organization is lucky to have access to their time, perspective and ideas. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for autistic rights in 2023.

-Anne Borden King

 

Autistics are not protected by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We should be.

a4aontario
A teal blue rectangle with a white maple leaf design at the left, followed by white-lettered words: "Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act"
Accessibility should be for all


On October 18, A4A rep Anne spoke before a committee preparing a review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005). As the legislation stands, autistic people are not listed among the disabilities covered therein. We believe autistic should be included among the disabilities covered in the AODA. This is our statement.

Intro
Autistics for Autistics is Canada’s largest autistic-led advocacy group. We are an international affiliate of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the largest autistic-led advocacy group in the world. We consult governments, businesses and other entities on disability accessibility for non-speaking and speaking autistics, as well as those with intellectual disabilities.

Autistic people’s human rights and accessibility needs are frequently violated in schools; at college and university; in housing; employment; healthcare; and other settings. Our community also disproportionately suffers from poverty due to segregation, access barriers, bias and other discrimination.

Add “autistic” to the AODA
The words autistic or autism are not included in the lists of disabilities protected under the legislation designed to protect the human rights of disabled Ontarians, (the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, or AODA).

Because autistic people are not included as a group in AODA legislation, we are not able to effectively utilize the legislation when seeking redress for human rights violations.

It is false to claim one can imply “autistic” under the umbrella of intellectual disability in the AODA. There are thousands of autistic people with significant disability, whose IQ is over 70. If the autistic person has an IQ over 70, AODA rights legislation is not seen to apply to them because autistics are omitted from protection under it.

Conclusion
Autistic people are sometimes told that parent groups can speak for us. But of course the viewpoint of a disabled person is different than the experience of their parents. Parents should not be speaking as the sole representatives of “autism,” nor as architects of AODA legislation. Nothing about us without us.

We at Autistics for Autistics would like to meaningfully consult on this policy to make sure our community is included. We were not included in past consultations. We want “Autistic” listed as a condition, directly, in the AODA.

Thank you.

Black, Indigenous & People of Colour are disproportionately targeted on social media: White allies need to step up to their responsibility

a4aontario

Update, 2023: We have moved to Spoutible and Post. 

The below post explains the events that led to us shutting down our Twitter account in 2022.

Yesterday, a blue-check Twitter account (Erin Biba) noticed a tweet from our account discussing the challenges some people with anxiety face returning to public life after the pandemic. It also criticizing conspiracy theories about the CDC, along with other health disinformation, as being unhelpful to people with anxiety in particular. While our tweets were describing a real problem, Biba labeled A4A as “right wing” in a series of quote tweets where she encouraged A4A’s donors not to donate. She also shared our email address with her 65,000 followers.

Within minutes, scores of Biba’s followers were swarming A4A’s account, as they’ve swarmed other accounts and relentlessly trolled individuals as a sort of group-bonding activity. (You can learn more about this phenomenon here.)

We are an international affiliate of ASAN whom “someone” contacted to report us as being “Covid deniers” and we had to explain the situation to them, which was exhausting.

One of our members, a person of colour, was told by one of Biba’s followers that he was going to be reported to the college where he is a student.

Thanks to Biba’s quote-tweet, another one of her followers directly doxed another A4A member, again targeting a person of colour and telling the person they were going to screenshot and share the person’s identity with all of Twitter, then did so against their wishes. Despite outreach, Biba’s follower kept the tweet going and wrote disparaging comments, harkening the racist rhetoric of calling non-white people who speak to power “uppity”.

Sadly, acts like this are a regular occurrence on Twitter. In fact, racism is perpetuated against Black, Indigenous and People of Colour so often on social media that it has become normalized.

White people often refuse to acknowledge the racism in acts like this. Their ignorance and refusal to act is in itself a form of racism. BIPOC are continually disappointed and hurt when white friends and colleagues ignore racism or “shy away” from calling out other whites for their actions.

Whites have to do better at allyship. BIPOC endure daily acts of racism–yet how often do their white colleagues and friends really have their back, or take even a nominal risk of feeling uncomfortable for a bit, to support BIPOC?

First steps to doing better can include reaching out to the person who was harassed–not just to say quietly “that sucked,” but to ask the person “How can I help?” Here are some other ways to help when a person has been doxed or personally harassed:

  1. Report the doxer/harasser to the social media platform—and to authorities where applicable
  2. Confront the doxer/harasser on social media (including confront-and-block)
  3. LISTEN to the victim. Don’t weigh in with abstractions or comparisons. Just listen.
  4. Follow, learn from and share content by BIPOC accounts. Decentre yourself and share their content instead of your musings or selfies all the time!
  5. If you make a mistake that offends or harms, don’t make excuses. Say you’re sorry and learn from it.
  6. If you’re part of the autistic community, learn about the work of the Autistic People of Color Fund here.

There are no excuses for Biba or her followers to harass and dox our little group. There are no excuses for Biba’s follower to personally dox one of our members, a racialized and multiply marginalized person. White people need to do better to ally with BIPOC to stop harassment and racism, online and offline. The platforms need to do better, too.

Thanks to all our members who were supportive this week.