Autistic Advocacy in Southwestern Virginia

Taking a Stand

2009-10-06T00:50:00.003-04:00

Bob Williams, former Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has written an open letter condemning Autism Speaks' hateful video "I Am Autism" and urging Bruce Springsteen to end his support for Autism Speaks and to contact the Autistic Self Advocacy Network to learn more about how to be an ally to Autistic people. The letter as shown below has been excerpted from an original longer version.

An Open Letter to the Boss:

Dear Bruce:

I am writing to strongly urge you not to perform at the Autism Speaks benefit concert in November and that you withdraw your offer to do so in protest over its horrendous video, “I Am Autism.” Watching it left me and others physically ill and deeply outraged much as a hard core porn video or one filled with racial, homophobic or other bigoted images and tirades would do. Under the supposed guise of promotion a cure of all conditions along the Autism Spectrum, the video strips children and adults on the spectrum naked of their humanity – sowing the worse of stereotypes, fears and low expectations. The message it senselessly projects is one of complete dread and utter disdain – not just of the disability but of those with it as well.

Cuarón and Mann may be masters of their craft, furthermore, they and Autism Speaks are certainly protected by the First Amendment in espousing whatever agenda they choose by whatever means they may choose. As you well know, free speech is a two way street, however. Others of us, therefore, have the same fundamental right and, yes, obligation to denounce the message that autistic people are devoid of the ability to connect – the trait that defines all of us as human.

Increasingly, we are learning just how much this theory once regarded as immutable fact is actually chockfull of holes and based in part or whole on faulty and the most discriminatory of assumptions (see, for example, “The Truth About Autism: Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know”, Wired Magazine, 02.25.08). We are also just beginning to glimpse the scope and magnitude of the damage and injustices done over the past century or more because such flawed half “scientific” dogmas. So, the question must be asked: What possible good is done by perpetuating them?

Bruce, I have been a fan of yours since the days of Greetings from Asbury Park. As a high school student with significant cerebral palsy in the 70’s I felt alienated, castigated and incommunicado with the world much of the time. Your music became a major force in my life. In your lyrics and the sweet riffs of Clarence, I found my own voice loud, proud and strong. I recognized that far from being a weakness or the problem that my disability, my supposed speechlessness and otherness are among my greatest strengths – essential to what makes me and those like me uniquely and uncategorically human. This is something those so quick to dismiss and denigrate seem unwilling to accept. In your artistry and advocacy for human rights, one line above all others strikes me as central to your message – Walk Tall or Don’t Walk at All. Autistic people are urging you to Walk Tall with them. I urge you to do the same. Please contact Ari Ne'eman, the Founding President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network to find out how you can join your voice in harmony with theirs to take a stand for justice. Ari can be emailed at aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org

Thank you.

Bob Williams, former Commissioner
Administration on Developmental Disabilities,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Please Distribute! Autistic Community Condemns Autism Speaks’ “I am Autism” Campaign

2009-10-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

Press Contacts:

Ari Ne’eman

The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network

Phone: 732.763.5530

E-mail: aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Autistic Community Condemns Autism Speaks’ “I am Autism” Campaign

“We are the true voices of Autism,” say Autistic adults; Campaign spreads stigma, prejudice and inaccurate information; ASAN vows protest of upcoming Autism Speaks fundraisers

Washington, DC (September 23^rd, 2009) - The autism community reacted in horror today to Autism Speaks’ new “I am Autism” campaign, presenting Autistic people as kidnap victims and burdens on their family members and communities.

“I am autism. I have no interest in right or wrong. I will plot to rob you of your children and your dreams….And if you’re happily married, I will make sure that your marriage fails. Your money will fall into my hands, and I will bankrupt you for my own self-gain,” says the “I am Autism” video, released yesterday and created by Academy Award-nominated director Alfonso Cuarón and Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Billy Mann.

“This is the latest in a series of unethical fundraising strategies adopted by Autism Speaks,” said Ari Ne’eman, an adult on the autism spectrum and President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), “This type of fear mongering hurts Autistic people, by raising fear and not contributing in the slightest to accurate understanding of the needs of Autistic adults and children.” ASAN’s Columbus, Ohio chapter has already made arrangements to protest Autism Speaks’ upcoming local fundraising walk and other ASAN chapters will be making similar arrangements shortly, said Ne’eman.

In addition to relying on fear and pity mongering to raise funds, the Autism Speaks video repeats frequently referenced claims of higher than average divorce rates amongst parents of Autistic children. However, a 2008 study conducted by HarrisInteractive for Easter Seals in cooperation with the Autism Society of America found divorce rates for parents of Autistic children lower than those for families with no children with disabilities. The video also relies heavily on the idea of rapidly increasing autism rates. Another new study, released the same day as the video, by the British Government’s National Health Service found that autism rates among adults are the same as amongst children, indicating that the popular “epidemic” claim of rapidly increasing autism incidence is likely false.

“This video doesn’t represent me or my child,” said Dana Commandatore, a parent of an Autistic child living in Los Angeles, California. “Whatever the challenges that autism may bring, my son deserves better than being presented as a burden on society. Autism Speaks’ misrepresentation makes my life and the life of my child more difficult.”

“Autism Speaks seems to think that parents' embarrassment at their kids' meltdowns is more important than autistic kids' pain,” writes Sarah, an Autistic blogger at the blog Cat in a Dog’s World, “Autistic people deserve better than what Autism Speaks has to offer.”

The new video is reminiscent of the December 2007 NYU Child Study Center “Ransom Notes” campaign, which consisted of faux ransom notes claiming to be from an anthropomorphized disability which had kidnapped a child. Those ads were withdrawn after two and a half weeks, due to widespread outcry from self-advocates, parents and professionals and the condemnation of twenty-two national disability rights organizations, led by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. The Ransom Notes controversy was reported on by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Washington Post and other major media outlets. ASAN announced plans to work with the cross-disability community on a similar response to Autism Speaks’ campaign.

“The voices of real autistic people, and of families who do not subscribe to the presentation of their family members as something sinister and criminal, clearly do not matter to Autism Speaks,” said Paula Durbin-Westby, an adult on the autism spectrum in Virginia, who serves on the board of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. “Our community is furious about Autism Speaks’ continued exploitation and will be taking action.”

Selected initial responses to Autism Speaks’ “I am Autism” campaign from bloggers in the Autism community follow:

Club 166 (Parent): http://club166.blogspot.com/2009/09/when-will-they-listen.html

“The above video takes up where the Ransom Campaign ended, and goes on from there. Not content just to dehumanize autistic individuals, the Autism Speaks video goes on to paint a picture of horror using the most vivid imagery it can find-your marriage will fail, you will go broke, you will never be able to function in society at all, etc…

Two years ago the NYU Child Study Center claimed ignorance of the way that autistic (and other disabled individuals) felt. The response at that time was heard throughout the country, even in major national media. I wonder what excuse Autism Speaks can possibly come up with this time.”

Turner and Kowalski (self-advocate): http://turnerandkowalski.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/i-am-autism-speaks/

“I am Autism Speaks

I will steal your voice and make sure you can never speak for yourself.

I will steal your parents’ money and spend it on a residence on Park Avenue.

I will use demeaning language to degrade, pity and marginalize you.

I have declared war on you.”

Emily (Parent):

http://daisymayfattypants.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-if-someone-did-this-with-say-downs.html

“This is horrific. I cannot believe that these people thought it was OK to demonize a developmental disorder in this way, behaving as though autism were something separate from the people who have it, like a wart or a blight or a boil that should be burned off or lanced and drained before it infects someone else or destroys your marriage, rather than what it really is, a differential neural construct that is just as much a part of the people who have it as their eye color. Is there any other developmental difference or genetic disorder that could be vilified in this way with an assumption of impunity? Dyslexia? Schizophrenia? Tourette's? Depression? Chromosomal disorders? Doubt it.”

Sarah (Self-advocate):

http://autisticcats.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-am-autism-embarrassment-trope.html

“Autism Speaks seems to think that parents' embarrassment at their kids' meltdowns is more important than autistic kids' pain. They're wrong in that, and they're also wrong to suggest that donating money to Autism Speaks and trying to find a "cure" is the only way to solve this problem. Because while Autism Speaks-funded scientists play with genes in their laboratories, real autistic people are living our lives and will continue to suffer serious anxiety in many public places. Instead of writing another check to Autism Speaks, I suggest actually trying to figure out why an individual autistic person may be experiencing these difficulties. And taking steps on both a personal and societal level to ensure that public places are more accommodating of autistic people.

Autistic people deserve better than what Autism Speaks has to offer.”

Apologies for lack of posts

2009-10-05T22:39:00.002-04:00

My apologies for the lack of posts on the SW Virginia ASAN blog. Finishing up my MBA, starting a new relationship, and moving took up much of my time. I am working on getting organized again so I can keep up with being the activist I enjoy being!

New Jersey Autism Registry & Public Comment Period

2008-12-10T11:51:00.003-05:00

Hello,

Below is the public announcement on the New Jersey Autism Registry and the Public Comment Period. ASAN has been asked to submit our thoughts on this to the New Jersey Department of Human Services, where we do have some pre-existing relationships that will make for meaningful consideration of our point of view. This is a real opportunity to communicate what we want and develop a document that we can utilize as a model for other jurisdictions that adopt similar registries. What do you think should be included in our public comment? Feel free to copy this inquiry to other listservs and forums, requesting that people on communities this has been
forwarded to respond directly to me at aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org

Regards,
Ari Ne'eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
http://www.autistic advocacy. org
732.763.5530

Department of Health and Senior Services Proposes New Rules and Amendments at N.J.A.C. 8:20, which establishes the Birth Defects Registry (emphasis added) The Division of Family Health Services in the Public Health Services Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services proposes new rules and amendments at N.J.A.C. 8:20, which establishes the Birth Defects Registry.

The proposal would establish an autism registry and a severe neonatal jaundice registry.

This proposal would require health care professionals to report diagnoses of autism in children from birth through twenty-one years of age. N.J.S.A. 26:2-187 requires the Department of Health and Senior Services to implement the reporting of autism and to establish an autism registry. Autism is adevelopmental disorder of brain function that is typically manifested by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests.

Under the proposal, health care professionals would not report the personal identifying information of a child diagnosed with autism if the child's parent, legal guardian or custodian objects to the reporting of this information, or if the individual through age twenty-one who is diagnosed with autism objects to the reporting. Health care professionals would be required to inform the parent, legal guardian, custodian or individual through age twenty-one of the right to refuse to report identifying information.

The proposal would require clinical laboratories to report newborns with severe neonatal jaundice, a condition that is caused by a buildup of bilirubin, an orange-yellow pigment found in bile. Toxic levels of bilirubin can cause severe neurological damage called kernicterus. N.J.S.A. 26:8-40.21 requires the Department to establish a severe neonatal jaundice registry.

The proposal would also make the reporting requirements for congenital conditions more consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines, and extend the reporting requirements for congenital conditions from birth through five years of age.

Under the proposal, the information on individuals with these conditions that is reported to these registries would remain confidential. The data contained in these registries would be used for public health research, needs assessments, and public health investigations.

The notice of proposal appears in the November 17, 2008 issue of the New Jersey Register.

The public has until January 16, 2009 to comment on the proposals. Persons wishing to comment on the proposals must submit their comments in writing to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625. Written comments on the proposals must be postmarked on or before January 16, 2009, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period for the proposals.

Again, please remember to respond directly to Ari Ne'eman at aneeman@autisticadvocacy.org.

Letter to Governor Kaine

2008-11-19T21:28:00.003-05:00

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a signatory to this Virginia Coalition for Students with Disabilities letter to the Governor of Virginia. The letter requests an opportunity to directly discuss significant concerns about the proposed Special Education Regulations changes with Governor Kaine. The proposed regulations contain major changes that would reduce or eliminate broad categories of protections for parents and students.

Virginia Coalition for

Students with Disabilities

November 6, 2008

Dear Governor Kaine:

Thank you for reaffirming your promise during your recent appearance on WTOP's recent "Ask the Governor" program not to reduce existing parental involvement in the proposed special education regulations. In doing so, you raised the hopes of parents across Virginia that misguided efforts to take away rights from parents of children with disabilities – rights that are vital to ensuring equality and fairness in the parent-school partnership – will not succeed.

We are extremely disappointed that the recently approved regulations reduce parent involvement and consent rights in disregard of the desires expressed in your memo of March 21, 2008 to the Board of Education. With regard to the specific measures you identified, the regulations fail to ensure the right of consent for parents of transfer students and the right to participate in a Functional Behavioral Assessment of their child. You also stated your intention in the memo that parent involvement not be reduced in other areas. However, these final proposed regulations continue to:

Deny parents the right to participate in the referral and screening process through the elimination of "Child Study Committees" as well as required state-wide uniform procedures and timelines.

Deny parents the right to receive timely re-evaluation reports due to the approval of an unnecessary extension of the timeline.

Deny children with disabilities access to appropriate services due to new restrictive and arbitrary eligibility criteria.

Deny young children with disabilities access to appropriate services due to new limits on the label of "developmental delay".

Deny parents the right to ensure the inclusion of short-term objectives or benchmarks in their children's IEPs.

We know that some supporters of the recently approved regulations are arguing that they constitute a reasonable compromise between saving money and serving children. This is untrue. The proposed regulations cannot be considered a reasonable compromise when only one party loses rights and the other party gains them. Worst of all, the losers in this situation are Virginia's most vulnerable children. For your further review we have attached a full list of all areas where changes in the proposed regulations roll back current rights and protections for children.

Parents have contacted you not to ask for new rights and protections, but to advocate for retaining the rights they now have. These are rights that have well served children with disabilities for decades and have no justifiable reason for being eliminated. Certainly, denying services to children who need them will not save money, but will shift the burden for meeting their needs onto unprepared teachers and overstretched schools. Such an approach will only negatively impact classroom instruction, teacher retention, and state performance on standardized tests, while increasing suspension/expulsion rates and leaving many children with disabilities unprepared to face the challenges of adult life.

The proposed regulations represent a significant policy shift for Virginia. If these regulations are approved in their current form, an entire class of citizens in Virginia will lose rights for the first time in over 20 years. Instead of ensuring that Virginia leads the way as you have championed, these regulations will put the Commonwealth years behind by taking away the hard won gains of children with disabilities.

We request an opportunity to directly discuss these significant concerns with you. Please let us know a date and time when you might be available to meet. The individual futures of tens of thousands of Virginia's most vulnerable children are truly at stake and require your direct intervention.

Sincerely,

Maureen Hollowell

Access Independence, Inc

403 B Loudoun Street

Winchester, VA 22601

Contact: Donald Price, Executive Director

Email: askai@accessindependence.org

Appalachian Independence Center,Inc.

230 Charwood Drive

Abingdon, VA 24210

Contact: Greg Morrell, Executive Director

Email: gmorrell@naxs.net

The Arc of Loudoun

71 Lawson Road

P.O. Box 243

Leesburg, VA 20178

Contact: Eleanor Voldish, Executive Director

Email: Eleanor@thearcofloudoun.org

The Arc of Northern Virginia

98 N. Washington Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Contact: Nancy Mercer, Executive Director
Email: nmercer@thearcofnova.org

The Arc of Rappahannock

1640 B Lafayette Boulevard

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Contact: Jan Griffin, Executive Director

Email: exec@arcr.vacoxmail.com

The Arc of Virginia
2025 E. Main Street, Suite 107
Richmond, VA 23223
Contact: Jamie Trosclair, Executive Director

Email: jtrosclair@arcofva.org

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20036

Contact: Paula C. Durbin-Westby, Board of Directors Virginia Coordinator
Email: pdurbinwestby@gmail.com

Autism Society of American – Central Virginia

P.O. Box 29364
Richmond, VA 23242-0364

Contact: Bradford Hulcher

Email: asacv@aol.com

Autism Society of America – Northern Virginia

98 N. Washington Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Contact: Christopher Waddell, President

Email: acwaddell@gmail.com

A Voice for GAP Kids

P.O. Box 174

Rockville, Virginia 23146

Contact: Tim Moore

Email: tim@voiceforgapkids.com

Blue Ridge Independent Living

1502 B Williamson Road NE

Roanoke, VA 24012

Contact: Karen Michalski-Karney, Executive Director

Email: kmichalski@brilc.org

Clinch Independent Living Services

P.O. Box 2741

Grundy, VA 24614

Contact: Betty Bevins, Executive Director

Email: bbevins@vmmicro.net

DAC (disabled Action committee)
14405 Artery Lane, #11
Dale City, VA 22193
Contact: Keith Kessler

Email: DAC4VA@aol.com

disAbility Resource Center

409 Progress Street

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Contact: Debe Fults, Executive Director

Email: dfults@cildrc.org

Disabilities Resource Network

c/o Bedford Community Resource Center

403 Otey Street

Bedford, VA 24523

Contact: Didi Zaryczny, Chairperson of the Board of Directors

Email: didizautism@aol.com

Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads

6300 E. Virginia Beach Boulevard

Virginia Beach, VA 23502

Contact: Andrea Anderson

Email: dsahr@verizon.net

Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia

98 N. Washington Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Contact: Philip Pedlikin, President

Email: philip.pedlikin@plateau.com

Eastern Shore Center for Independent Living

4364 Lankford Highway

Exmore, VA 23350

Contact: Althea Pittman, Executive Director

Email: altheapittman@yahoo.com

Endependence Center

6300 E. Virginia Beach Boulevard

Norfolk, VA 23502
Contact: Maureen Hollowell

Email: mhollowell@endependence.org

ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc.

3100 Clarendon Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22201

Contact: David Burds, Director

Email: davidb@ecnv.org

The Fairfax County Council of PTAs (FCCPTA)

8115 Gatehouse Road

Falls Church, VA 22042

Contact: Sheree Brown Kaplan, Chair, FCCPTA Special Education Committee

Email: specialedchair@fccpta.org

Giraffe Program

529 Ramsey Ridge

Clinchco, VA 24226

Contact: Judy McKinney

Email: ambercounts@localnet.com

Independence Empowerment Center

9001 Digges Road, Suite 103

Manassas, VA 20110

Contact: Mary D. Lopez, Ph.D., Executive Director

Email: mlopez@ieccil.org

Independent Resource Center

815 Cherry Avenue

Charlottesville, VA 22903

Contact: Tom Vandever, Executive Director

Email: tvandever@ntelos.net

Junction Center for Independent Living

P.O. Box 1210

Norton, VA 24273

Contact: Dennis Horton, Executive Director

Email: jcil@junctioncenter.org

Learning Disabilities Association of Virginia (LDAV)

3914 Monument Avenue

Richmond, VA 23230-3902

Contact: Dr. Jean Lokerson, President

Email: jlokerso@vcu.edu

Lynchburg Area Center for Independent Living

500 Alleghany Avenue, Suite 520

Lynchburg, VA 24501

Contact: Phil Theisen, Executive Director

Email: Phil@lacil.org

Parents in Partnership

18301 Black Hollow Rd.

Abingdon, VA 24210

Contact: Melissa Meade

Email: mameade@ntelos.net

Peninsula Center for Independent Living Insight Enterprises, Inc

2021 A Cunningham Drive Suite 2

Hampton, VA 23666

Contact: Ralph Shelman, Executive Director

Email: Rshelman@iepcil.org

Resources for Independent Living

4009 Fitzhugh Avenue

Richmond, VA 23230

Contact: Sandra Wagener, Executive Director

Email: wageners@cavtel.net

Tidewater Autism Society of America

6300 E. Virginia Beach Boulevard

Norfolk, VA 23502

Contact: JoAnna Bryant, President

Email: tidewaterasa@verizon.net

Valley Associates for Independent Living
205-B South Liberty Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Contact: Marcia DuBois, Executive Director
Email: vail@govail.org

Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
202 N. 9th Street, 9th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219

Contact: Heidi Lawyer, Executive Director

Email: Heidi.lawyer@VBPD.virginia.gov

Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy
1910 Byrd Avenue, Suite 5
Richmond, VA 23230
Contact person: Julie Kegley, Staff Attorney
Email: Julie.Kegley@vopa.virginia.gov

PETA - Update

2008-10-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

I am happy to announce that PETA's recent, "Got Autism?" billboard has been removed by the advertising company hosting it. The billboard misinformed the public about the autism spectrum by falsely implying that milk consumption was the cause of autism. Such advertising contributes to a state of public hysteria about the autism spectrum, fueling the fear and resulting prejudice that marginalizes us from society at large. It is unacceptable for autistic people, our families and supporters to be used as instruments in PETA's political agenda or that of any other unscrupulous interest group. Our community came together to communicate the need for a swift withdrawal of this ill-informed piece of advertising, and I'm pleased to say that were able to achieve a swift result. That we were able to accomplish this so quickly and effectively speaks well for the autistic community and the cross-disability rights movement. Thank you all for your support.

If you'd still like to indicate to PETA the need to avoid exploiting the autistic community in its future advertising, you can write to them at info@peta.org as well as call them at 757-622-7382 and dial 0. You can also sign our petition on this topic, further indicating to PETA and the world that it does not pay to try to attack and exploit the autistic and cross-disability communities.

Incidents like this show the need for a strong and activist autistic self-advocacy movement, working closely with the broader disability rights community. By uniting on issues like this one, we can work to address the persistent biases that pervades the public discourse about autism in specific and disability in general. As we speak, the blind community is uniting against false and offensive depictions of their community in the new movie, "Blindness". Over the last few months, disability rights activists from all parts of the community came together to fight against outdated and damaging portrayals of people with intellectual disabilities in the movie, "Tropic Thunder". Less than a year ago, the disability community united behind our successful effort to stop the NYU Child Study Center's "Ransom Notes" ad campaign, which portrayed children with disabilities as kidnap victims.

Like any other community, we have the right to be treated with respect, in media, in service-delivery and in all aspects of society. While responses to offensive depictions of disability in popular culture are not the only battle in the broader struggle for equity, inclusion, quality of life and opportunity for all people with disabilities, this issue must remain an important priority. Culture helps to shape the reality we live in. By challenging the exploitative and offensive public discourse on disability we find today, we can advance a broader agenda for disability rights. The disability community is on the march and we will not be stopped.

Thank you once again for your effective action on this issue. I look forward to working with all of you once again in the future. Remember, "Nothing About Us, Without Us!"

Regards,
Ari Ne'eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org
732.763.5530

Tell PETA to Stop Exploiting the Autistic Community

2008-10-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

Recently, the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a new ad campaign entitled, "Got Autism?", misleadingly implying that the consumption of milk is associated with the cause of the autism spectrum. PETA is misinforming the public about autism and thus joining a long line of unscrupulous groups that have sought to try and spread fear about autism as a means of pushing their particular agendas.

Attempts such as these treat individuals with disabilities as pawns in the efforts of other constituencies. By refusing to acknowledge the right of the autistic community to be referred to with respect instead of as the focus of public hysteria, PETA contributes to a state of affairs which marginalizes the disability community. People with disabilities, our families and our supporters deserve better than the exploitation and fear-mongering that comes about when disability is used as a means of scaring the general populace. For millions across the globe, the answer to PETA's "Got Autism?" question is an unequivocal yes. That should not spell the end of our lives or prevent us from being fully included throughout society. By exploiting us, PETA becomes a culprit in the social forces that marginalize people with disabilities and lead to the discrimination and prejudice that truly disable us.

Let PETA know how you feel about its choice to exploit autistic people by writing to them at* *info@peta.org* *or call them at* **757-622-7382 and dial 0. In addition, we encourage you to express your support for these ads' swift withdrawal by signing this online petition.

2008-09-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

This is the blog for Southwestern Virginia Chapter of ASAN.

The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a non profit organization run by Autistics (those on the Autism Spectrum), those with other unique neurological types and neurotypical family members, professionals, educators and friends. ASAN was created to provide support and services to individuals on the autism spectrum while working to change public perception and combat misinformation by educating communities about persons on the Autism Spectrum.

We believe that the autism spectrum and those on it are important and necessary parts of the wide diversity present in human genetics. ASAN supports Autism Acceptance through measures to promote success for each person on the spectrum. By abandoning old and inaccurate models of pathology and adopting a new approach focusing on both the unique challenges and strengths of autistics, we believe that we can improve outcomes and promote a new paradigm of inclusion and respect. As an organization founded by autistics and friends and family of those on the spectrum, we are committed to advancing self-advocacy, self-determination, self-awareness and independent living throughout all aspects of society.