Autistic community. It's a term that sits a bit uncomfortably with me. It's like everyone who is autistic is part of some homogeneous grouping where we all somehow, across the globe, agree on common issues.
Well, we don't and I'm a bit fed up with people who think we are all united on every single thing. Of course there will be majority views but what I think are the perceived majority views are actually often from the most vocal. They have a lot of time on their hands to shout online who don't necessarily reflect the older demographic, those in employment and those who are not digital natives. And let's not forget our autistic counterparts who will never be able to access social media because their disabilities are a barrier to participation but may yet still have a view no one hears as they can't whinge on Facebook at 3am.
For all those autistic activists who post lots on the Internet about their whatevers, there will be another 10, 20, 100, who frankly don't give a rats arse what our logo is, if it's a jigsaw or an infinity image. It's not a club. I don't need a mascot or a cute branding. I need people to be kind. Are we best represented by blue, red or gold? I'm not a product.
I understand that some of the imaginary used is problematic, linked with eugenics, autism seen as a confusion and male dominated. However, that's an image concern for charities.
I don't deny it has some indirect impact on me in terms of constructing a harmful identity but I can undo that by promoting autism by being a good person to others.
So when I go to raise issues about autism at work to HR, I don't go armed with clever slogans and graphics, I go with understanding the law and science. I go with kindness but I remember that we aren't a community. We just happen to share the same cognitive style.
I'm not part of the blonde hair community or the people that like cereal for dinner club either. And I definitely don't want to join the 'people with asthma' league.
The autistic community is a fallacy and those who speak on its behalf are just sounding their own horns in their noisy echo chamber. Sit down, shut up and listen to those who haven't been projecting their big views at the world via their iPads. You may learn something about priorities and I tell ya, branding isn't the most important at all.
