Autistics Speaking Day on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140107279369668

An autism organization in Australia is running an event called "Communication Shutdown" on November 1st. The event is meant to make non-autistic people understand the social isolation that autistic people feel. But this event has been called into question by autistic bloggers for many reasons.

1. Autistic people are not silent, online or offline.
2. Non-autistic people will have no more clue what autistic people's lives are like simply by staying off of Facebook for a day, because while they are avoiding their computer, they are still not autistic.
3. The invention of the Internet has prevented autistic people from feeling so isolated. Autistic people use social networking sites, forums, and blogs to talk to other autistic people, and even nonverbal autistics or autistics who have difficulty effectively communicating have an opportunity to socialize online.

Corina Becker, an autistic woman who runs the blog No Stereotypes Here ( http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/20...g-day.html ), has proposed to make November 1st Autistics Speaking Day. Autistic people will be using the day to speak out and it is time for non-autistic people to listen. To paraphrase Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg's post, saying that we are silent makes our voices even more unheard, and we will not be silent if the rest of the world listens to us. ( http://www.journeyswithautism.com/2010/1...ember-1st/ )

If you want to know what it is like to be autistic, please listen to us and learn. This, not Communication Shutdown, will make autistic peoples' voices heard.

thank you KenG

An interesting proposal.

On the homepage

Autistics Speaking Day is today!

This is the first wave of blogs, as well as two videos:

Craig Thompson posted a video about autism and communication:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655MaTlgviQh...wEO2oJ-qKc

Elspeth Thorne on growing up with autism:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655IPV-2KQC3...among.html

Julian Edward Frost posts on his own experience with autism:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655xwBihnRy1...-listened/

Melissa Fields on not feeling welcome in the non-autistic world:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655p3qlK3WwX...-i-am.html

Savannah posts poems about her experiences with autism:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655dBrkbrQgk...rticulate/

Tony Belcastro writes about what autism is like for him and how it has affected his life:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655BMrinerIJ...&Itemid=43

Zachary Lassiter on why many autistic people won’t be participating in Communication Shutdown:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655IwPypyz6D...HwgbMTmR3I

And here is the ABC news article:
http://www.facebook.com/l/55655xHeXR5_uS...ion=justin

And in case you didn’t get the message, we now have a permanent page for Autistics Speaking Day. Like here if you would like to participate again next year:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autistics-...619?ref=mf
Thank you all so much for participating, and we wish you all an awesome Autistics Speaking Day.

posted to the blog also

We seriously need to rename the day to avoid giving the impression we support Autism Speaks.

Some autistics don't speak so I suggest a broader name as well like Autistics Communication Day or Neurodiversity Communication Day or Diverse Communication Day.

To bad they didn't do this on Guy Fawkes Day

Second Wave of Posts for Autistics Speaking Day:

Amanda Forest Vivian on problems with the kinds of things non-autistics are trying to “fix” in autistic people. This is really awesome and you should read it if you’re not familiar with the concepts of “ableism” and why it’s not necessary or even beneficial to “pass” for non-autistic:
http://adeepercountry.blogspot.com/2010/...-post.html

Ari Ne’eman from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network on Communication Shutdown and Autistics Speaking Day:
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/modules/...itemid=122

AS Parenting has an awesome article on autism (including nonverbal autism) and advocacy:
http://www.asparenting.com/2010/11/01/as...aking-day/

A.S.S.G.O. (AS Support Group Online)’s post for Autistics Speaking Day:
http://www.assupportgrouponline.org/apps...eaking-day

Bev from Asperger Square 8 on communications and other things:
http://aspergersquare8.blogspot.com/2010...quare+8%29

Corabelle Li Crol on the power of the Internet and autistic people:
http://aspiegirlworld.blogspot.com/2010/...-post.html

Corina Becker’s guest blog on things she knows as an autistic person, and her post on her own blog for Autistics Speaking Day:
http://blogs.plos.org/neurotribes/2010/1...no-thanks/
http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/20...-loud.html

Darcy Reed is an autistic writer who writes beautiful poetry:
http://spectrumhouseart.com/5Darcy1.html

Emily on autism and bullying:
http://daisymayfattypants.blogspot.com/2...nary%3F%29

Gaynell on the harm that society has allowed to be done to autistic people, particularly on physical abuse and restraint. This is an important issue in the community right now:
http://wildflowersforjade.blogspot.com/2...m-mom.html

Heather Sedlock on her autistic son’s life:
http://heatherbabes.autisable.com/734878...om-part-2/

Jennefer explains what she would like people to know about her three-year-old autistic son, referred to here as HRH:
http://www.thekingandeye.com/2010/11/com...utism.html

John Elder Robinson posts his support here:
http://www.facebook.com/JohnElderRobison

Kathleen on autistic people and communication:
http://autismherd.blogspot.com/2010/11/a...icate.html

Kevin Healey shares the voices of autistic people:
http://www.kevinhealey.net/?p=1056

Matt Friedman explains how social media has helped him and why autistics must speak for themselves:
http://dudeimanaspie.blogspot.com/2010/1...th-to.html

Nicole Nicholson shares an awesome poem with us for Autistics Speaking Day. She is also sharing other poems, so check them out:
http://ravenswingpoetry.com/2010/11/01/w...#more-2517

Ole Ferme L'Oeil on the wide range of people in the autism spectrum; also includes some awesome links to other important blog posts that you should check out:
http://humainsvolants.blogspot.com/2010/...arole.html

Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg on empathy and communication:
http://www.journeyswithautism.com/2010/1...and-heart/

Shanti writes about her life, selective mutism, and her obsessions:
http://latedx.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/c...ng-autism/

Socrates from the New Republic on Autistics Speaking Day:
http://the-newrepublic.blogspot.com/2010...g-day.html

Sunday Stillwell writes an informative post on Autistics Speaking Day:
http://www.extremeparenthood.com/2010/11...proud.html

Sullivan from Left Brain/Right Brain will be returning to Facebook today:
http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2010/11...t+Brain%29

If you are participating, We’ve received a message from Joel Manzer that participants can submit their posts to Autisable and they’ll be happy to highlight them on the first page. Autisable is here:
http://www.autisable.com/

And in case you didn’t get the message, we now have a permanent page for Autistics Speaking Day. Like here if you would like to participate again next year:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autistics-...619?ref=mf
Thank you all so much for participating, and we wish you all an awesome Autistics Speaking Day.

The third wave of blogs:

Alysia Krasnow Butler on her own son’s autism diagnosis and her friend’s son’s recent unexpected diagnosis. A beautiful post:
http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/2...ces-carry/

ASD Mommy on not being silent:
http://asdmommy.wordpress.com/2010/11/01...be-silent/

Britt Kravets on social interaction and acceptance for the whole spectrum:
http://blackbird3398.wordpress.com/2010/...-speaking/

Clay on Autistics Speaking Day; also contains Ari Ne’eman’s post:
http://cometscorner-clay.blogspot.com/20...g-day.html

The Coffee Klatch on their Twitter event, which you should totally check out if you have Twitter:
http://thecoffeeklatchblog.blogspot.com/

Danillion on the Internet and autism:
http://dannilion.com/2010/11/autistics-s...-internet/

Elaine Caul on awareness:
http://one-autistic-in-ireland.blogspot....ormal.html

Gerry Lockhart on ASDay:
http://www.asandtheirpartners.org/as-res...g-day.html

Julia on needing to talk:
http://flashbackdreamsequence.blogspot.c...-talk.html

Kathryn Bjornstad writes about Autistics Speaking Day and shares a list of participants:
http://autistickat.blogspot.com/2010/11/...today.html

Paula C. Durbin-Westby shares her e-mail to Buzz Aldrin about Communication Shutdown and Autistics Speaking Day:
http://paulacdurbinwestbyautisticblog.bl...ldrin.html

Sandy challenges the idea that verbal communication is the best form of communication:
http://www.aspieteacher.com/2010/11/pres...e-options/

Sarah Schneider on Autistics Speaking Day:
http://www.kitaiskasandwich.com/2010/10/...-november/

The Untoward Lady on autism and love:
http://vibratingsquare.blogspot.com/2010...-love.html

Vector’s post for ASDay:
http://thautcast.com/drupal5/content/voi...linkiewicz


There are some other lists here:

http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dr...ber-1.html

http://autismblogsdirectory.blogspot.com...ber-1.html

This is the last update!
Remember, the new, permanent page is here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autistics-...2960394619

Ed Ised about owning ideas and selling autism awareness:
http://diversityrules.typepad.com/my_web...eness.html

Ian on his experiences with autism:
http://youhaventmetyourselfyet.blogspot....omptu.html

Jill with some general info on autism and ASDay:
http://bookish-nerd.livejournal.com/13273.html

Julia Charlotte’s Anatomy of an Autistic:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/julia-char...4893465232

Kassiane on what she can tell you and explain about living with autism, and being on your autistic kid’s side:
http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/2010/11...k-day.html
and
http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/2010/11...r-kid.html

Leah Jane on the aftermath of ASDay:
http://quixoticautistic.blogspot.com/201...rmath.html

Lindsay on listening to disabled people:
http://autistscorner.blogspot.com/2010/1...stics.html

Luna Lightning on her own experiences with autism and life in general:
http://spin-infinity.blogspot.com/2010/1...ction.html

Shelly Valladolid on autistic special interests and their validity:
http://stillfabulous.blogspot.com/2010/1...peaks.html

These are a couple of interesting articles Corina shared:
http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthread.php?tid=502
and
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn...ent%3Bcol1

Action for Autism’s Mike Stanton explains why Communication Shutdown is offensive, and what it is like when autistic people shut down in real life:
http://actionforautism.co.uk/2010/11/01/...aking-day/

Alexander Cheezem writes an awesome open letter to Buzz Aldrin:
http://aspieperspective.blogspot.com/201...ldrin.html

Allecto on dispelling myths about autism:
http://allecto.tumblr.com/post/145666826...csspeaking

Brigy Staples on the double standards people use with autistic people:
http://speakingon.wordpress.com/2010/11/...aking-day/

Codeman busting myths about autism:
http://aut.zone38.net/2010/11/01/speakin...or-autism/

Cripchick (Stacy Milbern) on the dangers of donating to non-profit autism organizations that are all about profit and do nothing for autistic people:
http://blog.cripchick.com/archives/8612

Estee Klar on the dangers of trying to normalize autistic people with medication:
http://www.esteeklar.com/2010/11/01/what...e-believe/

Gavin Bollard on why a day of silence doesn’t work:
http://life-with-aspergers.blogspot.com/...lence.html

John Scot Thorburn on how autistic voices should be heard:
http://colorvalues.blogspot.com/2010/11/...g-day.html

Karen Baum writes her first blog post on Autistics Speaking Day:
http://theautisticstepmom.blogspot.com/2...g-day.html

Karin has written several posts for today, which can be viewed here:
http://bewaretheaspie.blogspot.com/

Kerry Cohen on her autistic son, who she has written a memoir about:
http://www.kerry-cohen.com/musings.html

Kim Wombles on supporting autistic people instead of shutting down:
http://kwomblescountering.blogspot.com/2...y-are.html

Leah Jane on how the Internet made it possible for her autism club to pull off a successful event:
http://quixoticautistic.blogspot.com/201...g-day.html

Maddy Keene on her experience with autism/Asperger’s:
http://mmkeene.deviantart.com/journal/35987525/

Maya Brown-Zimmerman on battles with the early intervention system:
http://marfmom.com/archives/2656

Pamela Harvey on the use of silence:
http://thestampedenvelope.blogspot.com/2...lence.html

Sarah Schneider on what she’s learned on Autistics Speaking Day:
http://bit.ly/dkFBp4

Scottish Mum on why Communication Shutdown is not for her:
http://scottishmum.com/?p=85

Stuart Duncan on breakdowns in communication:
http://www.stuartduncan.name/autism-comm...g-it-down/

TMBMT on the pain of growing up undiagnosed:
http://tmbmt.livejournal.com/26305.html

Toxicology Doc on communication:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idszVltvc3Y

Unstrange Mind on what you would have to do to really understand how her autism affects her. Hint: it’s not turning off your computer:
http://unstrangemind.wordpress.com/2010/...-autistic/


If you missed anything on the previous lists, there’s a full version of participants here at Katy Bjornstad's blog:
http://autistickat.blogspot.com/2010/11/...today.html

Yesterday was awesome and thank you all so much for your support. We hope to see you again next year, and we hope Autistics Speaking Day only gets better with time.

I have a number of friends who have conditions besides autism who require the net and social networking sites (not just Twitter and Facebook but also Livejournal/Dreamwidth) for any kind of social life.  There are a lot of people with severe ME who can't get out of the house (or even their bed, in some cases) and others with conditions that flare up and leave them unable to get out anywhere.  Social networking sites are a lifeline to these people.  I thought this was a very poorly thought-out proposal.

http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/mt.php/2...a-bad-idea

One of the people I know is the lady who wrote this article, she had severe ME although she's mostly recovered but knows people who haven't:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2...ale-online

Thank you for a thoughtful post. In the spirit of “getting your message out there,” I encourage you and your readers to participate in research with autistic adults, not just about autistic adults at the Gateway Project (thegatewayproject.org). In just 20 minutes, you can register to be a part of the project and support research that is considered relevant by the autistic community.