Note For Anyone Writing About Me

Guide to Writing About Me

I am an Autistic person,not a person with autism. I am also not Aspergers. The diagnosis isn't even in the DSM anymore, and yes, I agree with the consolidation of all autistic spectrum stuff under one umbrella. I have other issues with the DSM.

I don't like Autism Speaks. I'm Disabled, not differently abled, and I am an Autistic activist. Self-advocate is true, but incomplete.

Citing My Posts

MLA: Zisk, Alyssa Hillary. "Post Title." Yes, That Too. Day Month Year of post. Web. Day Month Year of retrieval.

APA: Zisk, A. H. (Year Month Day of post.) Post Title. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://yesthattoo.blogspot.com/post-specific-URL.

Friday, May 23, 2014

For Children to Know

Sometimes surveys happen. Sometimes I snark at them (they totally deserved it, asking a question that assumes I think the concept of differently abled should be taught at all and wanting to know how/where, when actually I think the concept hides important institutionalized power differentials and is therefore kind of terrible.)

But I played it straight, pretty much, on a couple of the questions. Like "What would you want children to know when it comes to the concept of disability?"
  • Disability is a natural part of the human experience- that's in the ADA, we can be at least as progressive as the US Congress in the 1990s.
  • We're all different, when the stuff a person can do is far away from what society expects them to be able to do that's called disability, because society is disabling them.
  • Disability without a disabled person doesn't actually exist. 
I could explain these things and talk about them more, but...
Those are the starting points I would give to the kid, then let the kids questions guide where we go. I'm happy to do the same now, if people come to ask.


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