I am applying for an advocacy scholarship that is dependent on me creating a community project to benefit those on the Autism Spectrum.

I have been thinking for quite some time about an Autistic Women's Pageant. I always wanted to do pageants. I auditioned for MissAmerica last year, but didn't make the cut due to my lack of a performance talent. I have been thinking of my own way of creating an Autistic women's pageant ever since then simply because I feel that we aren't recognised and celebrated enough.

Anyway, what do you think of the idea? Do you think it will be significant enough to benefit the population?

When we have a population and a society then we can do that easily. Until then we're satuck in the mud mired about in a junk taxon of all sorts claiming to be or diagnosed as autistic

why not....they have pagents for everything else

I think it would be a fabulous idea for a new type of pageant!

There could be a visual section where the audience have to plug their ears and it is completely silenced and auditorial sections where the audience's use of their eye sight is restricted. This could be used to illustrate the differentials in perception that some people among the autistic spectrum experience and are often unable to explain because they may not understand it themselves.

It is a phenomenon which all people with any one of the five senses may discover. Not synesthesia (crossing of processing in senses) but amnesia -- omitting of memories by a part of the brain which deems the stored processes unacceptable for the psychological survival of the host. In my opinion, this is much more effective than the creation of delusions however it would be more harmful because it also erases parts of the mind which could be vital for functioning (mental blocks, an unexplainable force which prevents the host from being exposed to certain factors which may stir up the suppressed memories)

In other news, I see many women and men who appear to have undiagnosed forms of autism and aspergers syndrome. In my biased opinion: if these people made it this far along in their lives without much stress to their functionality to live among neurotypicals, they need not any diagnosis or treatment for they have succeeded in fitting in. For those of us who fail, we need extra help and as much as we can get. Although I must sternly warn that medications do not heal any kind of scars (be it emotional, physical or spiritual) Take with caution, my dear friends... A psychiatrist is not a master of life improvent, he is a practitioner of prescribing medications for the improvement of symptoms ~

"A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step." Which is why we must stand a distance away from the patient before us to respect confidentiality. Think about it.

Human <existence3 Being

This post was last modified: 01-28-2012 11:02 PM by Little_Note_Leaver.

It has the potential of turning into a human freakshow. Would people tune in to see the competition or to gawk at the "weird people".

Ladies who are beautiful and also less obviously autistic would run the risk of being accused of being ring-ins and fraudsters.

It also has the potential to raise awareness. On a completely different level, the "Miss Sarajevo" pageant raised awareness of another plight, so it can work.

It could also be a lovely occasion where people actually look at aspies and autistics as being equal, of having a different neurotype and equally capable of everything.

If people think that a person is 'less obviously autistic' is a ring-in, it would be easy to boo.

Words like "cattle" and "market" come to mind.

Well, it could turn in to a freakshow, or it can be hijacked by Autism Speaks. Two bad ways it can go. Or it could succeed.

Could only be hijacked by autsqueaks if that is permitted to happen. Although saying that conflicts with my ideals of 'bleed the b@stards drier than a saudi arabian nun mother-superior's cervix, then either attempt to influence change, or spit them out afterwards as appropriate,'

I'm of the opinion that the idea of a miss autistic pageant could be a great thing. Would have to be carefully thought out and well executed though, both to avoid verminous organizations like autsqueaks infesting it or trying to hijack it, preferably a policy on that present from the get-go. Involving those taking part obviously.

And to make sure that under-representation of those who DON'T fit the NT idea of what an autie/aspie should or shouldn't be, look like, do, etc. And personally, I would like to see those with Rett's included without any prejudice. Its not nearly so prone to receiving attention as autism/AS. In part because its much rarer, on the autistic spectrum yes, affecting only females (bar the extremely rare males with an XXY chromosome pattern or similar X-polymorphisms, otherwise males carrying the gene polymorphism responsible either are miscarried or die shortly after birth), likely to be more challenging by far to give Rett's girls their shot most of them have other medical issues including seizures, many never walk, or never talk. I know one, who often feels somewhat alone, due to there being so few others, despite a host of medical issues, is both verbal, and signs... and to say the least is mobile under her own power. Actually she is a gymnast with a hell of a mouth on her, along with mind to match, and dare I say, altogether quite delightfully easy on the eyes.



(gah...who I need to get the hell hold of as it happens. But can't at the moment while I can't get on my blasted MSN.)

NONONONONONONONONONOOO!

sorry, but I really don't like pagents. they seem degrading to both contestants & audience.

to me, a miss <insert minority here> pagent is on the one hand a freakshow, and on the other a pagent like any other. our spectrum ladies would be objectified (as pagent contestants) and pitied (as "special people" competing in the "special pagent"). I don't see how this improves the NT perception of us, or how it might inspire young autistics to achieve their dreams.

(of course, I also understand that it's much easier to criticise than come up with constructive ideas. I'll work on that and get back to you)

What about a pageant for the boys?
Alison

Hmmm, that could be work...

Maybe an Autist talent show, rather than one focusing on something that is nearly entirely innate (physical beauty)?

Seriously?

That's been done where I live. Not to sound unsupportive of the participants, or anything, but only about half of the acts were worth seeing.

Whats it called?