• Image description: Light turquoise , salmon amd fuscia rectangle colorblock. White text reads: Thanks to you information has been recorded in this thread that others may find valuable if they would like to know what some of us autistic adults think and write about in regards to the use of person first language versus the use of the word autistic. Judy Endow Ollibean"

Are You a Bully in Sheep’s Clothing?

On Dec. 16, 2013 I wrote a blog titled “Autistics Can BE Friends” and posted the link on social media sites. Regardless of how often or how many of us autistics write about why many of us choose to call ourselves autistic many in academia and in the medical fields continue on to let us know we “should not” be doing this. I am including in this blog a public conversation I had with a Linked In reader on this matter. The entire conversation had nothing to do with the blog I had posted – only the fact that I

I Am

How do you talk to someone who uses AAC?

Presume My Competence

Really, this is number one. Please presume my competence.

  • Top 10 things I need you to know

Focus on My Strengths

#4 Please focus on My Strengths. I have many. We all do.

Top 10 Things Autistic Self Advocate Needs Teachers to Know : # 3

Top ten things I want you to know. Number 3: Please talk directly to me, not to my support person.

  • boy wearing a turquoise tshrt that reads "Not being able to speak is not the same as not having anything to say" sitting on couch one hand on iPad one hand on his dog . The dog is yellow lab/golden mix .

Autistic Student’s Top 10 List for Teachers of Students with Special Needs #2

Top ten things Autistic student wants teachers, therapists and friends to know about students with special needs... they may be shocking to some of you, but hopefully to most they are exactly what you expect. Here's number 2.

  • Girl with brown hair , blue tshirt is holding an iPad out in front of her. Her face is obscured by the iPad. Boy with Brown Hair holds a white sign that says " The Civil Rights Act of 1964 granted equal rights to all people. I am a person. I want these rights.

A Sister Stands with Her Brother: I Am Heard, I Am Important, and I Am Included

No one wants to be the excluded one, the one to stand alone in silence, the one left out of the conversation. No one wants to be forgotten. So why are some individuals treated this way? Luckily it just takes one person to stand up and include, and the rest will follow. Be that person, take a stand, make a difference.

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