Aspies For Freedom

I found this, and it seems that the article by Tony Frienberg and the "Autistic Liberation Front" is causing more confusion-

2005-01-18 - 5:31 p.m.

Pro-Aspie and pro-anorexia movements

I came across this article on the discovery of the Ubermensch.

But can one be a Christian and still believe in the Ubermensch? That is debatable, but IPlay suspended certainly don’t, or at least not in any tangible sense as Nietzsche did, assuming that’s what he was actually on about, and neither really in any cyborg-ish variety that is a theme in a lot of anime DVDs. Nevertheless, I will indulge a little because I see some disturbing similarities between this pro-Aspie movement and the pro-anorexia movement on the internet, and besides, whether I like it or not I am a part of this Asperger’s community.

The popular media loves to give much attention to anorexia because of the feelings of contentment and self-justification it gives to the large market of overweight TV-viewers, which does wonders for their ratings. So it follows then that this same media would take the cautious line, saying, yes, anorexia is a problem, but surely its sufferers aren’t truly responsible for their own predicaments because if they were, they wouldn’t be dying, and as it is they need our help and sympathy.

Faced with this environment then it is only understandable that the pro-anorexia community on the internet is growing from strength to strength (all though I am sure that there are many people with eating disorders that are genuine about wanting to be cured).

Now, it appears that the pro-Aspie community on the internet have reached their own critical mass beyond which point they now flatly reject any suggestion that they should strive for change to their own condition. As the dubiously-named Aspies for freedom site puts it, “We oppose any attempts to ‘cure’ someone of (…) Asperger’s syndrome or any attempts to make them normal…”

The even-loonier Autistic Liberation Front believe that the fight to remain autistic is a fight for “human rights”. I’m sure they practice what they preach too by rejecting social security benefits and crime and growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Is this a joke? Hang on let me read that again. It appears not. I find disturbing the implication on these three sites that “all Aspies are pro-Aspies” in the sense of the term that I have used here (although to its credit the latter article also gives, albeit right at the end, the perspective of a family that has to live daily with autism).

I, for one, do want to be cured. It might be the case that for the moment science hasn’t discovered a cure, but that doesn’t mean I should go into denial about the significant problems I face in trying to live as best a life as I can in the mean time.

It is surely not long until we hear of a person, dying of anorexia, suing the public health system on the basis of anti-discrimination laws for not respecting her (surely it will be a her) culturally-founded decision to limit her calorie intake, citing the large pro-anorexia culture, before passing away and bequeathing her large payout to an organisation that shares her beliefs.

When a person with Asperger’s develops a similar attitude, the popular media won’t need to tell you about it.

http://gewerq.diaryland.com/stubborn.html

Quote "The even-loonier Autistic Liberation Front believe that the fight to remain autistic is a fight for “human rights”. I’m sure they practice what they preach too by rejecting social security benefits and crime and growing their own fruit and vegetables."

The Autistic Liberation Front wont be growing their own veg as they dont exist!

I have e-mailed him to explain that ALF dont exist.
As far as the pro anorexia movement, there are people who are pro anorexia and sites for such, so that does exist.

Yes, but some people see AS as a disabling medical disorder, so in that sense can compare it to anorexia.

Lumping anorexia rights and autistic rights is boggling my mind.  Anyone knows anorexia kills!!!  It is a disorder, I'v seen it in my role as a nurse.

I'm a nurse with AS, I am good at my job, I do not have a disorder!!!  I also like to eat!!!

What the *** hell is somebody thinking, with that connection!!

Peace

Welcome gewerq, I'm glad you could come and give us your viewpoints, and we can share ours.
I am not working right now, am looking after my 2 kids, my son is on the spectrum too
I dont want to be cured cos it would change who I am. Thats the basic reason, but of course theres more to it than that. I'll post more another time.

gewerq, I live in the UK, here you cannot get benefits for disability unless you are disabled, which I am not.
Just having AS would not entitle you to anything, you would have to be disabled by it, this is determined in a specifc manner, such as you could not cook any food or bath yourself, and is most often given to people with physical challenges.
This is one of the strange contradictions in the system here, you are not disabled, but you can be given negative treatment as if you were, (such as with attitudes in the workplace)its a double edged sword.

Noetic, I mentioned the system for DLA to explain a little to gewerq qho lives in Australia, not because I am against the system.
I think it is a lot fairer than systems that I have seen in other parts of the world, and of course its reasonable that only people who need help should get it.

I have to be honest and say I dont know why you would apply for DLA, do you know that its extremely hard to get? You have to really need help, a boy who was blind was refused in my area, and also a man who could not cook for himself at all, or care for himself, but could go out of the house for walks alone.

Well good luck Noetic, if you need help I hope you get it, people should get the help they need. But I know of many parents of children with autism who have been refused, I wonder if its a regional difference, with some being extremely harsh?

Well it cant all be problems filling in the form, and if they arent entitled to a higher amount, they should be awarded a lower amount.

Where on earth did this anorexia connection come in? They are two completely seperate entities.

Asperger's is a form of neurological wiring, anorexia is an illness.

When they are properly helped, guided, and focused, aspies have much to offer society. That has been proven by the increasing list of people in history suspected as having AS.

I don't recall any famous anorexics. What does anorexia have to offer society?

I believe aspies should be helped, and not ignored, as we have much more to give to society than take, it is only stupid NT so called experts who want to keep their jobs, that they try and dictate their own agenda.

As for the pro civil rights anorexia movement, if they want to refuse treatment, then so should they be refused the treatment in hospital when they become truely ill, and the cost to us taxpayers that entails.

Other aspects; I've more than proven my capability and potential contribution as a design engineer/inventor/technical problem solver who is fully mobile and fit, and perfectly capable of handling any manual labour that any other adult male could reasonably be expected to do.

My problem? Being an Aspie, I've never experienced that desire for status and power which drives people to seek management positions (and without the desire, management work is tedious in th eextreme; been there, done that) much prefering to stick to what I was good at. As a result I've been unable to find work for over ten years, and now face constant harrasment from the social benefits people who reccon my failure is my doing, when the simple truth is that I'm stuck in a culture where engineers are two a penny, and those over forty are surplus to requirement, and people in other trades shy away from anyone who is to highly qualified. Am I lazy? No I'd happily stack supermarket shelves to bring in a bit more cash for life's neccesities, but who's going to give such a job to a fifty year old brainbox, when there are so many young subservient type who'll do it?

Do I need curing? Not *** likely, the desired cure is the bringing down to earth of the establishment types who have succeeded so well in arranging things so they can grab most of the loot for themselves, that they need no longer concern themselves with issues like increasing profit and can devote their decisions exclusively to issues like, "who'll be easiest to manage, who can I count on to be subservient, and play the game to my advantage, and generally massage my ego in the way that is my (assumed) right?".

This is the hidden issue for us "invisible" Aspies; no one will accept we are disabled, yet it's been arranged so we can't possibly get a decent job, and so we are also denied the possibility of building the kind of financial savings which would permit us to start our own companies (and don't imagine for a moment the banks will loan money to a weirdo) so what are we to do?

The National Autistic Society in the UK has a scheme called Prospects, that is designed to help people on the pectrum find work.
I feel there needs to be a lot more funding and opportunities for adults on the spectrum, in every country.
When I see how many millions are raised for a cure for autism, and that is spent on funding scientists and their research, yet there is a pitiful amount spent on adult services, and there is no sign of that increasing. It is totally wrong.

It would be marvellous if the autistic community could grow offline in the same way as it has grown online, and develop such schemes as monastic suggested.
One of our aims with AFF is to have offline groups run by people on the spectrum, not just a supportg roups set up by NT parents, which is the most common now (though there are few of these for adults).
These offline groups have been very slow to start though, we are spread out geographically and people are often nervous or reluctant to start something on their own, though in theory there will be numerous aspies and auties in a town who simply dont know each other.
If one group was started and advertised others may quickly join.

Now I truly can say, that I'v heard everything!!! :-(

Peace