Autism Speaks 10-year anniversary: Autistic people and allies answer back

On 2/25 Autism Speaks turns 10-years-old! Tell us how AS has touched your life at AS10Years@gmail.com #AutismSpeaks10 pic.twitter.com/HNoaDgyZgG
— Autism Speaks (@autismspeaks) February 21, 2015

A special hashtag, promoted by Autism Speaks to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, has been co-opted by autistic people and their allies to deliver stinging messages of rebuke.

Through its account on Twitter, the organization solicited followers to share how Autism Speaks has “touched your life.” It later used the #AutismSpeaks10 hashtag to share a few links to posts by guest authors on its blog.

But instead of taking up #AutismSpeaks10 to lavish it with celebration, Twitter account holders are challenging Autism Speaks’ depictions of autistic people as burdens on society, as “missing,” as soulless husks. And they’re drawing attention to the absence of autistic people among organizational leadership.

Many of these account holders refer to themselves as #ActuallyAutistic.

To understand the enmity that “Actually Autistic” people and their allies hold against Autism Speaks, you need to read some of these posts for yourself — and Alice Wong has compiled numerous examples through the Storify social-curation platform.

We’re talking and, Autism Speaks, YOU need to listen.