I have two lists going in this post: "Autistics Speaking Day" -- posts written by people with autism; and "Autism Shout Out" -- posts written by people who do not have autism but love and/or support people with autism. If I've missed a link or otherwise erred: (best)-- leave a comment; email [email protected], or tweet me --@lizditz.
If you don't know about the communication shut-down issue, scroll down to the bottom of the post and start reading there.
Today is November 1, 2010, Autistics Speaking Day: Posts by People With Autism
- Corina Becker: Communication Shutdown for Autism Awareness? No Thanks! 25 Things I Know as an Autistic Person, a guest post chez Steve Silberman
- Autistic Speaking Out Loud by Corina Becker
- Communication Shutdown? No by Kevin Healey
- A Message to Buzz Aldrin by Paula C. Durban-Healy
- Reflections on Autistics Speaking Day by Ari Ne'eman
- Autistics Speaking Day Is Today by Katy at Katy Doesn't Live in Smithton
- Autistics Speaking Day: Autism, Communication and the Internet by Dannilion
- Autistics Speaking Day Post by Amanda Forest Vivian
- Supporting Autistics Speaking Day by AS Support Group Online
- Squawk? by Bev at Square 8
- Autistics Speaking Day Post by Corabelle
- Autistic Poetry by Darcy Clarisse Reed
- Thom Part 2 by Heather Sedlock
- Facebook Post by John Elder Robinson
- Autistics Speaking Day: The Path to Understanding by Matt at Dude I'm An Aspie
- WWP Poem #26: Back Door Blues by Nicole Nicholson at Raven's Wing Poetry
- Autistics speaking day/ jour de parole pour les autistes by Ole Ferme l'Oeil at le pays des humains volants
- Speaking My Mind and Heart by Rachel Cohen Rottenberg at Journeys with Autism
- Celebrating Autism by Shanti at Platform 25
- Autistics Spoke and You Listened by Julian Frost at AutismJungle
- Open Letter to Buzz Aldrin by Alexander Cheezem at A View from the Boundaries
- But You Look Normal by 3laine at ONE Autistic in Ireland
- Reflections on fund-raising for autism & Ari Ne'man's message, by Clay at Comet's Corner
- Autistics Speaking: It's All About Tolerance by blackbird3398 at A Bird in the Hand
- Voices for Autistics Speaking Day: Alex Olinkiewicz at ThAutCast
- Reclaiming Love by the Untoward Lady at Vibrating Square
- Press Pound for More Options by Sandy at AspieTeacher
- Autistic People Won't Participate in Shutdown Day by Zach at AspieWeb
- We Need to Talk by Julia at Flashback Dream Sequence
- Autistics Speaking Day by AS and Their Partners
- Speaking Up For, and Busting Myths About, Autism by Codeman38 at Normal Is Overrated
- Using Silence by Puddleglum at Puddleglum's Marsh
Today is November 1, 2010, Autism Shout Out: Posts by People Who Support People With Autism
- Adventures in Extreme Parenting: Autism Shout Out
- Autism Unexpected: Does Silence Promote Communication?
- Spectrummy Mummy Social Networking
- ASDMommy I Will Not Be Silent
- Try Defying Gravity Voices Carry
- Planet Josh Picking a fight with a social media guru on twitter
- AS Parenting ASD: Autistics Speaking Day
- Jen at The King and I Communication Shut Down Day for Autism-- Not for Me!
- Gaynell at Wildflowers for Jade Autistics Speaking Day-- Autism Mom Speaking
- Emily at A Life Less Ordinary? Autism and bullying
- Kathleen at Autism Herd Autistic People Communicate
- Sullivan at LeftBrain/RightBrain Catch Me on Facebook Today
- Sullivan at LeftBrain/RightBrain Autistics Spoke and You Listened
- Sunday Stillwell at Adventures in Extreme Parenting Autism ShoutOut Loud and Proud
- Stacey Milbern at Cripchick Autism, Capitalism, and the Establishment
- Sarah at Kitaiska Sandwich Autistics Speaking Day
- Shoppin Queen Hell NO! I'm Not Shut Down
- Mike Stanton at Action for Autism Today is Autistics Speaking Day
- Stimey at Stimeyland My Autism Shoutout
- Hartley at Hartley's Life with Three Boys: Speak Loudly: Introducing My Contributors
- Caitlin at Welcome to Normal: Advocating 101: How to Write a Letter
There's an Australian-based enterprise to "shut down" Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of social media on November 1. You can find the site at https://communicationshutdown.org/?view=home.
It's a global initiative to raise much-needed funds for autism groups in over 40 countries. By shutting down social networks for one day on November 1, we hope to encourage a greater understanding of people with autism who find social communication a challenge.
I think that the organization's intentions are good, but misguided.
I won't be participating.
I think it perpetuates the stereotype that people with autism "don't communicate" or can't speak for themselves.
Others who will be speaking up on November 1. I encourage you to go visit each of these blogs and study their reasons for speaking up.
Update: for those of you who use twitter, there are two hashtags in play: #AutisticsSpeakingDay (for people with autism participating in social media on November 1) and #AutismShoutOut (for autism allies on the day)
Even if you don't use Twitter, you can see what is going on by going to
- http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23AutisticsSpeakingDay
- http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23ASDay
- Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autistics-Speaking-Day/162932960394619?ref=mf&v=wall
There is an allied twitter hashtag, #AutismShoutOut, which you can track at http://twitter.com/search?q=%23autismshoutout
(I will be silently adding to this list as I find new posts)
- Corina Becker, a woman with autism, http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/2010/10/real-communication-shutdown.html
- Corina Becker, on the design above http://nostereotypeshere.blogspot.com/2010/10/autistics-speaking-day.html
- Emily Willingham, parent of children with autism http://daisymayfattypants.blogspot.com/2010/10/no-im-not-going-silent-for-autism.html
- JHolverstott, autism spectrum specialist, http://jholverstott.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/forget-the-communication-shutdown-heres-how-to-build-awareness/
- Rachel B. Cohen-Rottenberg, woman with autism, http://www.journeyswithautism.com/2010/10/22/speak-up-on-november-1st/
- Woman With Asperger's, http://womanwithaspergers.com/2010/10/20/why-communication-shutdown-day-is-a-bad-idea-and-what-you-can-do-instead/
- Astrid van Woerkom, woman with autism, http://astridvanwoerkom.wordpress.com/2010/10/23/speak-up-on-shutdown/
- Kim Wombles, parent of children with autism, http://kwomblescountering.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-which-i-get-pissed-off-not-shutting.html
- Autism Blogs Directory http://autismblogsdirectory.blogspot.com/2010/10/not-going-silent-on-november-1.html
- Stuart Duncan, parent of a child with autism, http://www.stuartduncan.name/autism-awareness-2/communication-shutdown-why-ill-be-online-nov-1st/
- Jason Ross, man with autism, http://drivemomcrazy.com/2010/communication-shutdown-november-1-is-it-really-necessary/
- Mike Stanton, parent of a young adult with autism http://actionforautism.co.uk/2010/10/24/
- Sunday Stillwell, parent of children with autism, http://www.extremeparenthood.com/2010/10/autism-shoutout.html
- Elise, parent of young men with autism, http://asd2mom.blogspot.com/2010/10/october-happiness-project-friends-also.html
- Ellen, mother of a child with CP and speech/language issues, http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com/
- Matt Yusuf Smith, http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/mt.php/2010/10/19/communication-shutdown-for-autism-a-bad-idea
- The Coffee Klatch, a special-needs blogging and tweeting collective, will be running a 24-hour "Communicate to Educate" tweet chat http://thecoffeeklatchblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/communicate-to-educate-24-hour-autism.html
- Tammy at Autism Learning Felt http://www.autismlearningfelt.com/2010/10/all-bloggers-unite-for-autism.html
- Happy13, mother of a child with autism http://happy13-waitwhat.blogspot.com/
- K Bjornstat, woman with autism http://autistickat.blogspot.com/2010/10/autistics-speaking-day.html
- The Autistics Speaking Up Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140107279369668
- Corabelle, woman with autism http://aspiegirlworld.blogspot.com/2010/10/speak-up-on-nov-1st.html
- 3laine, woman with autism, http://one-autistic-in-ireland.blogspot.com/2010/10/silence-speaks-autistics-speak-louder.html
- karin, woman with autism, http://bewaretheaspie.blogspot.com/2010/10/1-november-autistics-speaking-day.html
- Ken G., man with autism, http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthread.php?tid=20840
- Heather Sedlock, parent of children with autism, http://www.examiner.com/special-needs-kids-in-national/autism-conversations
- Blackbird3398, person with autism, http://blackbird3398.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/speak-up/
- Mum Accepting Autism, parent of a child with autism, http://bbsmum.blogspot.com/2010/10/shutting-up-not-shutting-down.html
Note:
- Terry Mauro at About.com:Special Needs Children has two blog posts (one, two) covering the issue. She is not claiming to participate in Communications Shutdown or the alternative #AutisticsSpeakingDay (for people with autism participating in social media on November 1) and #AutismShoutOut (for autism allies on the day)
Thank you very much for including me in this list.
I look forward to speaking out and for those with Autism on November 1st!
Posted by: Xtremeparnthood | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 10:17 AM
I'm not going silent either. Thanks for this great list and I look forward to "hearing" everyone on this day.
Posted by: Alysia | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 10:42 AM
The Autism Blogs Directory has a list of bloggers on the spectrum for folks to go by the blogs, read, comment and show support. That's awareness. :-)
Posted by: KWombles | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Hey, Liz. I've seen you on Shannon's blog, especially your brilliant responses to the post on vaccines. I was thinking of pitching in at first, because this group asked (note, my child has cp, not autism), I admire them and they do good things for raising awareness. But I'm not. On Monday, I will be doing my usual blog. I started speaking out to raise awareness about our kids. Going silent won't help and, to me, sends the wrong message.
My little boy has trouble talking. I am his voice. And I will keep right on talking.
Posted by: Ellen | Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 02:44 PM
I will not be shutting down. Here is my post about why:
http://asd2mom.blogspot.com/2010/10/october-happiness-project-friends-also.html
Posted by: Elise | Friday, October 29, 2010 at 03:51 AM
So many names! Thanks for getting this together. By the way, anyone wanting their names added to the list on the site for the Facebook event can private message me or e-mail me at [email protected]. I'll be including this list on my page just in case I don't have time to message everyone on it.
Thanks for your help, Liz. You're awesome.
Posted by: Kat Bjornstad | Friday, October 29, 2010 at 03:55 PM
Not being a Facebook or Twitter user,I had no idea what this was all about.I tried watching the video at the site,but couldn't handle he loud,pulsing noise at the start.
Given how computers,and the internet have given many autistics,myself included,the ability to communicate to a degree we otherwise could not,this whole idea makes no sense at all.I kind of wonder if the woman who started this is really autistic after all.
Posted by: Roger Kulp | Friday, October 29, 2010 at 05:55 PM
Hi,
I’m Marianne and I’m part of the Communication Shutdown Team. I just wanted to let you know that we fully support Autistics Speaking Day (great acronym btw!) and would love to share your experiences with our supporters. Although our executions are paradoxical, I believe we have the same goal to encourage understanding and acceptance in the wider community. We would really like to give your voice more reach, while at the same time giving our supporters a deeper understanding of autism.
We will keep an eye on your blog and with your permission, we hope to share any of your positive experiences or challenges with our supporters when they get back on November 2. As well, please feel free to email me at [email protected]
Many thanks and hope you have a great Autistics Speaking Day.
Posted by: Marianne | Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 09:22 AM
Here is the text of the email I sent to Ms. Harvey
Dear Marianne Harvey,
Thank you for your nice comment. As I said in my blog post, I believe the " Communication Shutdown" project was well-intentioned, but misguided.
Please feel free to link to my blog post and to use the links therein to explore the voices of people with autism, especially on this issue.
As I said in my blog post, my objection to the "Communication Shutdown" project is that it perpetuates the stereotype that people with autism "don't communicate" or can't speak for themselves.
In other words, the "Communication Shutdown" project presumes incompetence.
For an alternative view, I invite you to read Kate Ahern's essay at The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism
http://thinkingautismguide.blogspot.com/2010/07/living-least-dangerous-assumption.html
Here are the first two paragraphs:
Some of the most difficult things we face in our field are those things which are intangible. One of the most damaging to our students and possible our sense of purpose as educators is that our students must somehow prove themselves, repeatedly, to show they are capable, competent, and are acting with intentionality when they attempt to communicate be it through language, AAC or behavior. We live in a land of prerequisites and accountability, which leaves little room for "The Least Dangerous Assumption" as pioneered by Anne Donnellan and clarified by Rossetti and Tashie (2002). The least dangerous assumption is, of course, the premise that (in the absence of evidence) we believe we not yet found a way to make it so a child or adult with a disability "can" instead of believing he or she "can't".
The issue, sadly, sometimes becomes that making the least dangerous assumption and thus presuming competence uses resources (time, money, energy). We must come to understand that refusing to presume competence is, in the long run, more costly than making that least dangerous assumption.
Sincerely,
Liz Ditz
Posted by: Liz Ditz | Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 09:46 AM
I don't do Facebook, but will be tweeting links to well-written blog posts. (If I can get that organized.)
Posted by: Clay | Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 01:09 PM
being an avid Facebook user and on Twitter 12 hours a day I was surprised to not know about this shut down at all.
As it is I agree with you. Going silent doesn't seem to ever help anyone!! (Even Ghandi had a physical presence even if he was silent) Let's get out there and shout it out loud!
Posted by: David | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 02:47 AM
Thank you for including my post! My son can't have a conversation with you, but I can. If I am silent, he has no voice.
Posted by: Sarah | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 09:18 AM
I'm the Shoppinqueen, thank you for including me on this list! I've had 23 yrs of being told to shut up, I'm not shutting down now!
I'm going to go thru, read, comment on the posts here over the next few days. I'd do it tonight but 5:30am comes really early& I want to be fully awake& present as I read important posts.
Posted by: Geekbabe | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 07:43 PM
I posted today to try to debunk some classic autism myths... in a sequel to a post (also linked within) that I did on DKos back in April.
http://aut.zone38.net/2010/11/01/speaking-up-for-autism/
Posted by: codeman38 | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 08:42 PM
Hi Liz, here's my response to the Communication Shutdown if you'd like to add it to your list: www.welcome-to-normal.com/2010/11/advocating-101-how-to-write-letter.html
And an excellent one I don't think is on your list yet from the blog "What We Need" - at http://asdmommy.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/i-will-not-be-silent/
Both would fit into the caregiver blog category.
Caitlin
www.welcome-to-normal.com
Posted by: Caitlin | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 11:07 PM
Thanks, Liz, for including me on your list. It's an honor to be here.
Posted by: Darcy | Tuesday, November 02, 2010 at 08:18 AM
Thanks for the link to my post about presuming competence. It would be amazing if instead of shutting do to promote autism folks worked for promoting presuming competence by sharing about those in their lives who face struggles with autism or other disabilities. I find the more I speak about my students or other loved ones with disabilities the more people become open to new experiences and understanding. We should be speaking out, not shutting down. Kate Ahern
Posted by: Kate Ahern | Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 09:55 AM