Identifying, Educating, and Empowering Allies is an article aimed at autistic self-advocates giving information about.. well... the title. A slightly longer version was presented at Autreat 2004, and the article is what was in the program book.
Wow thanks for this anbuend - we've been discussing with some of the experts in the UK about setting up a national consultancy team of Aspies who are able to function in front of a group of people to go and talk to them.
It covers a lot of areas from going to companies for adults and to schools for children especially where children are placed in mainstream schools which unfortunately in the UK remain ignorant and in doing so fail to educate the other children against bullying, criticising and ostracising their Aspie classmates.
This is a really good link and has helped immensely in our efforts right now, thank you again it's amazing how things come together when we share information.
Many Blessings
Debbie
this could be a very useful guide for our cause
thankyou
anbuend,
This is some very good stuff for us Aspies to be in on. Thanks for sharing.
I have had the good fortune of coming from a family and extended family that hold integrity as a high value along with honesty and my best role models have been amongst the same.
I'm now into my mid-40's and now aware of my having the Syndrome. What I do know now about picking out the right people to chum with and building the right entourage has been learned nearly all by trial and error.
As for pseudo-allies, I do sniff out the "Missionary" and "Vulture" types pretty fast, but the "Do-gooder" type does sometimes get past all my checkpoints. I did dissolve a friendship last fall with one who definitely fitted the "Do-gooder" type when he got a little too aggressive on lecturing me how to live my life. When I refused to conform to his way of seeing and going about things, he got verbally abusive and that was the end of it. I tolerated his first 2 or 3 first rants but after that last one I had him figured out anyway.
It is only natural for Aspies to be more vulnerable than any and all NT's and despite all well-intentioned efforts tp protect ourselves, some individuals do continue to find that most vulnerable facet and try to gain something for themselves through it. Finding a way to keep ourselves defended without appearing offensive to everybody else and without making fools of ourselves is an art and a science unto itself. That write-up gives some insight. If I could master that art/science to its most minute detail, I shall be the first to share it with other Aspies.
This vulnerability aspect is the main reason I think it's very important to find and develop advocacy services for people with autism.