Attention Neurotypicals

Those of us without Autism are neurotypical

The CNN documentary , “Finding Amanda”,was eye opening . A world where movements and gestures and sounds and smells are language. Legitimate Language. In our history, we have on too many ocassions, labeled the “different” as non-human, non-person.

Suppose for a moment, that you, the neurotypical ,were thought of this way. You were dismissed and told you were low functioning but you knew this was false. You could think and communicate but not in the way that is standard. People called you retarded, but inside you knew what was going on and you knew what was being said and how that felt.

What would you do?
Amanda’s story on the internet is one of courage and intelligence.

We are the ones who are in a world so narrow that our definition of those who are “different”, constrict and confine , yet again an entire group of people who have a lot to say and a lot to contribute.

We become uncomfortable and seek to label and marginalize that which isn’t the “norm”.
Communication can come in all forms. Her Happy Dance is beautiful. Once you look beneath the prejudices that we neurotypicals harbor. Her video, In my Language is so revolutionary in its execution, it is a watershed moment for anyone who dares watch.
Amanda said, “I have never met a person that has no communication”.

Looks like there is a lot for those of us who are neurotypical to learn.

Autistic people are not the exception to the rule. They are people who have been labeled. We do that here. We label.

They are people who communicate differently than we neurotypicals do. They are bilingual, they communicate with and interact with their total environment. And us. We in turn tell them they are not able to communicate. Perhaps we are the ones who need to learn to communicate.We are typical.

When asked should Autism be treated, a young man,DJ, said that yes Autism should be treated.

With Respect.

Move over America, time to accept another group of our citizens , as DJ put it , “with Fresh ideas and hopefully people won’t see my Autism”.

Oh, but that’s right , we are still grappling with that race thing. 400 years later, and we are still not accepting. Of course we talk the talk of unity. But if one just looks at this month’s cover of Vogue Magazine, we have a long way to go to accept those with a “different” outside appearance.

Guess that freedom that Amanda seeks ,which DJ pointed out, will have to wait.