Aspies For Freedom

I'm feeling righteously autistic today...

What can I, as an individual Aspie, do to spread peace, love and understanding of neurodiversity?

I already have a blog, but it's got an average readership of nil, so the point of the whole thing is debatable.

Open to suggestions...

You could have a very small, cozy Neurodiversity Pride Parade, just around your living room. Wear something fun. Play some appropriate music....

Actually, we could all synchronize and do it at the same time all around the world. Erich and I would be up for it, and we've got four cats.

A year from today, we all take to the streets.

(I <3 Ethel)

Actually, anywhere/anyone selling Aspie Pride themed T-shirts?  I'd wear one in public...

(I'd make my own, but my previous efforts at home T-shirt design has been somewhat underwhelming.)

Too right - and when the selling site's got an "autism is reversible - cure your kid now" ad across the top... pleh.

well, if yu have a printer and are willing to spend some time messing with microsoft word(or what ever your computer has as its best text editor), then you could make some home-made informative guides, then pass them out where ever you find its legal to pass them out.

or, just "accidently" drop a few at/in various public places, i see church going folk doing it all the time with their "how you can find peace in christ" pamphlets.

Good idea...  If I ever get time (I owe various people graphics for some fan sites I'm involved with) I'll pop some links who what I come up with.

An idea came to me last night which I think might work.  I work in the media in a roundabout sort of way, and the trend these days is to try to get 'real life' stories from 'real people' as opposed to the talking-head types.  

For example, the local guide dog charity is starting a big fundraiser soon, and on the bottom of their press release was the obligatory contact number for their CEO, but also the note "if you would like to meet a local guide dog user, please contact our media liaison on..."  Most media will go with the second option - a photo or footage of a person with their guide dog is more interesting than some guy talking in an office.

So, what if we could do that?  Anyone who's willing to be involved could put their names down, and when International Day of the Aspie rolls round, or next time CAN starts a big kill-or-cure push, AFF or a similar group can pop out a press release with a note at the bottom saying "if you would like to a local person on the autistic spectrum, contact our media liaison on..."

We really need to pool our money for buying adspace on a major TV network, also you should use youtube, we should find someone who is pleasant  

(for instance http://www.ysabellabrave.com)  to speak for us on our behalf, who draws attention of the population to themselves.

Why ysabellbrave?  Because she's so far seems to have a good heart from what I gather having watched ALL of her videos.   But this is just an idea...

We really have to GET SERIOUS about it financially, like my idea of pooling resources to earn interest, and then returning the original amount everyone pitched in (not losing any money) and then using the interest for promotion.

When is International Day of the Aspie?
I know Adelaide doesn't get involved in much, but perhaps I could change that?!

I'm not in a position to chip in money... I could buy a pack of ten badges to hand out, but that's about the limits of my funds.

IS there a 'day' for Aspergers or Austism?  If not, how do we get one?  I tried Google but got a heap of gibberish because I don't really know what I'm looking for!

Ah, Zakkie, you posted the answer while I was writing the question!

So, we could potentially do the 'If you'd like to talk to a local Aspie...' thing for then?

I've been thinking and agonising over this...

How much should the autistic community 'vet' individuals on the spectrum who wish to act as spokespeople on autistic affairs?  I predict two problems:

The obvious one:  Someone who is on the spectrum but also happens to be a complete crackpot, stands up and spouts off, and sets the cause back 20 years by saying things like "we are the master race and hate all NTs", and getting a lot of negative attention.  

The less obvious one: We're all really different.  Whoever acts as spokesperson, someone else is going to argue that they're not fit to speak for Aspies as a whole because they're too highly functioning, or not highly functioning enough, or their social skills are too good or not good enough, or they don't stim in public enough or do it too much, or their sensory issues are too mild or too severe...

Even if you did that, you're probably not going to please everyone--but still, I think that the benefis of having a spokesperson(people) outweigh this.

I don't really know *what* I'm thinking of, to be honest... it's all very much a vague work in progress.

I'd be hesitant to speak on behalf of AFF, unless Gareth or Amy or someone else in charge actually asked me to.  It's their ship, after all, we just hang out here.  But, where I live at least, there's nothing in the way of an organised group of people on the spectrum - be that educating-the-masses type activities, or just getting together for fun and support.  I guess I should pop over to the 'local groups' forum and start a thread, shouldn't I?

That's a good slogan.

Are there any organisations you can get involved with in your local area? I volunteer with a local organisation for people on the spectrum and I have been alerting them to the autistic pride movement - and they seem to be listening!

I am also attending meetings regarding setting up a possible political campaign group in London.

Just an idea