(TW - ableism)
Almost everyone has heard of Autism Speaks; it’s one of the biggest autism “advocacy” groups in the United States. It is also one of the most controversial, and most disliked by the people they intend to help; people with Autism Spectrum Disorder themselves. In this article, you will learn why.
In 2009, Autism Speaks released a commercial titled “I am Autism” (https://youtu.be/9UgLnWJFGHQ). The video discusses the hardships faced by parents with children born with ASD. It sympathises with them…by telling them that the millions of children with Autism is the same as having millions of children stolen from them, or millions of kids becoming terminally ill. They elaborate on this, saying, “If you’re happily married, I will make your marriage fail.” and “I will plot to rob your children and your dreams.”
This is unacceptable. This villainization of ASD and those affected by it by neurotypical people is unacceptable. Autism is not a disease. It is not a monster. It’s not “rob[bing] your children'' because if you weren’t prepared to have a child whose mind works differently from others’ you shouldn’t have had one.
This is a terrible message to be sending to kids with ASD; that it’s all their fault and they’re supposedly infected with a terrible disease. Thousands of stories of children with ASD have spread online, saying that their mental health was severely affected by the commercial and its message. This is NOT okay. This is a common theme in a lot of their advertising; in one video, a mother and member of the Autism Speaks executive board said (in front of both of her children) that she had considered driving off a bridge with her autistic child in the car. She told the camera the only reason she didn’t do this was because she had a normal child as well.
This is not the only harmful myth they perpetuate. In the past Autism Speaks has gone to great lengths to advance the idea that vaccines cause autism. This, of course, is scientifically inaccurate and led to the founders overruling the research leadership, resulting in many resigning.
Despite claiming to be advocating for autism and raising funds from all over America, only 4% of Autism Speaks’ funding is donated to the cause they advertise for, i.e. autistic people and their families. This means they’re effectively taking money away from these communities. Autism Speaks also claims to be conducting research on the needs of adults with ASD, when less than 0.25% of their research budget goes towards this.
Finally, as for inclusivity, the one neurodivergent member of their executive board resigned because of their hostile and diminishing behaviour towards autism, and publicly challenged its legitimacy in the process.
Do not donate to Autism Speaks; you will cause more harm than good. To help the autistic community, donate to Action For Autism (India) or The Autism National Committee.
By Archisha Dasgupta
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