The Globe and Mail published an article today, ‘Autistics': We don't want a cure , for which I was interviewed as a voice speaking out against the Neurodiversity movement; a movement which opposes efforts to treat or cure autistic children. Unfortunately, although the article is balanced the title implies that people are trying to force high functioning autistic persons to be cured of their autism, a false implication. Parents seek to educate, treat, and cure their own autistic children, particularly low functioning autistic persons, whose very existence is glossed over and ignored by the Neurodiversity movement.
Ms Estee Klar-Wolfond is a frequent spokesperson on behalf of the ND movement and offered her on line comment in response to the perspective I offered as a balance to the ND perspective:
I would disagree that the "neurodiversity movement are "ashamed of" low-functioning autistics. It's quite the contrary. This is an issue that effects the entire disability communities -- the right to be heard regarding their perspectives, as well as to increase choice and services that assist all autistic individuals in Canadian society to reach their fullest potential. Estee Klar-Wolfond Founder/Executive Director The Autism Acceptance Project
As the father of an 11 1/2 year old boy with Autism Disorder who has advocated for services for autistic children, youths and adults I find Ms. Klar-Wolfond's comments incredulous. Anyone with a Google blog search bar can simply insert the words 'Autism Every Day' to see the hateful comments made by ND advocates about parents who described some of the harsh realities faced by low functioning autistic children. Even the expression 'low functioning' is objected to by the ND crowd. Ms Estee Klar-Wolfond is a frequent spokesperson on behalf of the ND movement and offered her on line comment in response to the perspective I offered as a balance to the ND perspective:
I would disagree that the "neurodiversity movement are "ashamed of" low-functioning autistics. It's quite the contrary. This is an issue that effects the entire disability communities -- the right to be heard regarding their perspectives, as well as to increase choice and services that assist all autistic individuals in Canadian society to reach their fullest potential. Estee Klar-Wolfond Founder/Executive Director The Autism Acceptance Project
The realities of low functioning, intellectually challenged autistic persons are not featured in the rhetoric of the ND movement. Indeed Amanda Baggs, who actually attended high school and college, discussed her various education and medical issues with various education and medical professionals, and writes sophisticated complex blog commentaries is portrayed by the ND movement as your typical low functioning autistic person. Ms. Klar-Wolfond has herself made reference to Ms. Baggs in her commentary. The emphasis is always the same - portray autism as a different, even superior, form of intelligence. There is no place for truly low functioning autistic persons with limited communication ability or understanding of the world in the ND rhetoric. There is no place in Neurodiversity's false autism reality for discussion of such ugly facts as head banging caused brain injury, self inflicted bite wounds or aggression against family members and professional attendants.
Although Ms. Klar-Wolfond claims that autistic persons should have the right to be heard she rejects, with disdain, the voices of those parents who speak for their autistic children, children who can not speak for themselves. Ms. Klar-Wolfond opposes the efforts of those parents who seek to obtain ABA services for their children. She is not alone in the Neurodiversity movement in opposing services sought by parents for their autistic children.
Dr. Laurent Mottron was also interviewed for the Globe and Mail article. Dr. Mottron is a Montreal area "autism expert" who has studied high functioning autistic persons for decades and has conducted a study purporting to show the innate intelligence of all autistic persons. The good Dr. Mottron has appeared before the Canadian Senate in an effort to persuade the Canadian government NOT to fund ABA services for autistic children. He also provided an affidavit in support of Michelle Dawson's intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada as part of her ongoing crusade in opposition to ABA services for autistic children.
Neurodiversity advocates have every right in the world to oppose any form of treatment for themselves if they are themselves autistic. But they have no right to claim they are speaking for other peoples' autistic children, particularly low functioning autistic children who can not speak for themselves. That is their parents' right and duty, or that of other persons who actually care for and raise these children. These are the very voices that Ms. Estee-Klar Wolfond and the Neurodiversity movement do not want to hear.
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