Oh indeed. Have you listened to Metis in Space takedown of Avatar?

We have this discussion a lot (a lot a LOT) at Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, where the original interview is (thanks, io9!). And here’s why there’s a disconnect: Professionals like yourself have the idea of person-first language hammered into them during training. Which comes from a good place, of attempting to…

Corinne Duyvis, the author, is autistic, yes. The interview goes into detail about how their personal experience shapes the story and characters.

I don’t blame io9 for sharing this article, because who would argue against supporting high-need autistic kids (like my son)? But when io9 spreads the message that some autistic people are more deserving than others, autistic people who can “pass,” are denied support, & suffer greatly: research demonstrates that rates…

NONONONONO. No.

What am I going to tell my kids? Just what am I going to tell them?

And the fact that society does not give you and your family the accommodations you need and deserve re: child care, etc. is not a reason to fear autism or disability. It's a reason to be angry about social failure. Your son deserves better, and you deserve better.

It is reasonable to not want a loved one to suffer or face challenges. But I can assure you, as the parent of an autistic young man who does best with 1:1 support, and from knowing many adults who also require significant day-to-day support — as well as those whose disabilities are less evident to others — that much…

It's an evidence-based statement, agreed. But it still implies negativity about my son, about the fears of ending up with a kid like our kids. That's not our fault — that's decades of fear-based social & media conditioning about autism. We can counter the negativity, show our kids as valued and deserving, with just a…

American society considers 'autism' an intrinsically negative term. Do a Google search for autism and see how many positive articles you find that aren't also inspiration p-rn or completely patronizing, that aren't above overcoming autism or complaining about how difficult it is for *other* people to deal with…

It comes from years and years of doing autism and vaccine advocacy, and witnessing (and countering) these attitudes first hand — when really good people do really good vaccine work yet still accidentally contribute to stigma against autistic people. If you aren't seeing any of this, though, that's cheering.

I have sympathy for people who don't know better, or who have been tricked. I don't have any sympathy for the willfully, vocally ignorant.

I wish it was a logical fail. But I see even very cool vaccine proponents stand up wholeheartedly for the vaccine science, and then completely fail on the autism advocacy by saying things like "we know vaccines don't cause autism, so parents don't have to worry," the implication being that parents don't have to worry…

I see well-meaning vaccine advocates inadvertently sideswipe autistic people all day long, every day. That's why I wrote this. But I'm glad you don't need instruction on this matter; one less mind to change.

Anti-vaxxers discriminate overtly. Many well-meaning pro-vaccinators discriminate inadvertently. I'm asking the latter group to be careful and thoughtful, and suggesting strategies.

Appreciate the discussions below, apologies if I missed anyone.

I'd also like folks to consider the perspective of autistic writer Chavisory: "You're not risking your child becoming autistic by getting them vaccinated, because there is no relationship between the two things. And I'm honestly a little uneasy about…

It's often hubris, not just ignorance. Research shows that many parents who previously believed vaccines cause autism (if that is what you're implying with your Jenny McCarthy references) are actually well educated, and so consider themselves capable of evaluating the "evidence" on their own. Much like Steve Jobs…

"But ask anyone defending vaccines and you won't get a one who thinks autistic children are feared." You and I swim in different seas, then, my friend.

I work with several different pro-vaccine orgs, they have all been receptive to this kind of pro-vax AND pro-autistic messaging because they realize the danger of…

So glad you're all doing well. Onward, and good luck.

It's not that "vaccines don't cause autism" is wrong, it's that it's not enough. 95% right is still 5% wrong.

I can't blame parents who are beset by so many conflicting messages about autism, and don't know where to turn initially. That's why I work my ass off to help parents like that fast-forward past that chaos, along with my colleagues at Thinking Person's Guide to Autism.