Special Edition: What We Have to Say
episode
Today’s Autistic Moment: A Podcast for Autistic Adults by An Autistic Adult
1h 20m
1 speaker
8 chapters
transcribed 27 days ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the purpose of this special edition and who are the hosts and sponsors?
Today's Autistic Moment presents a special edition, What We Have to Say. Funding for the special edition is provided by the Autism Society of Minnesota, Minnesota Independence College and Community, Best Care, Looking Forward Life Coaching, the Autism Mentorship Program, the Actually Autistic Coach Collective, and many of our supporters like you. Thank you. Go to today's artistic moment dot com. to listen to over 100 shows, get transcripts accessible and in many languages, episode descriptions, guest bios, the Adult Autism Resources links page, and today's Autistic Community Bulletin Board. In the first three chapters of Eric Garcia's book, We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation, Eric traces the history of autism research and politics through the second decade of the twenty-first century.
Over the course of many decades, researchers have studied autism and found that there is not an epidemic. Autism is not a disease, but Autism is not caused by vaccines. In 2013, the DSM V was updated to say that every person affected by autism was said to have autism spectrum disorder. The new DSM V replaced the fourth edition in 1994 that said that those believed to have quote high functioning autism and of Had Asperger syndrome, named after the late Hans Asperger. Those believed to have quote low functioning autism, end of quote, had pervasive developmental disorder. Over the past decade, it is estimated that over five million adults in the US have been diagnosed. Diagnosed with autism. Over the past 20 years, a movement has arisen to recognize that people who have autism should be recognized by the use of identity first language as autistic people.
Autistics have been joined by other neurodivergents, such as ADHDs. dyslexics to organize the neurodiversity movement. The movement has worked to see that autistics are not disordered because of neurological differences. But that we are who we are and should be included in seeking equality and equity in all aspects of life. These many advances have included the work of Dr. Nick Walker, who helped create the neurodiversity paradigm. The neurodiversity paradigm recognizes that every brain that is neurotypical and neurodiverse as belonging to the same family, and whether autism is a disability or not, it should not impact the quality of life that autistic people deserve. Now, after 25 plus years of progress, all that faces complete collapse.
On April 11 April, 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged that by this fall, we will know what causes the autism epidemic. The choice was deliberate, as we were celebrating what some call Autism Awareness Month and others call it Autism Acceptance Month. Sam Farmer shares his reaction to RFK's announcement.
Um, I cringed. As I often do when I hear references fill. to the prevail medical model. Narrative. Around autism and neurodivergence. Амадж. This is very dangerous, harmful. False Rhetoric. At least to those of us who feel. As though our autism Із айв бин. Court of self identity, at least in my case. На сам епідемік, на сам сайд ефект о вакцин. I dismiss The prevailing narrative of autism being a disorder. Because none of that rings true. With who I am. My lived experiences. and how I feel about my own autism profile. So I cringed. Because it runs so contrary to To how I feel. about autism. I cringed. I fear for our community. А дон фірф. I fear for our community. Because this is a community.
Uh for which we both self advocate, Phil.
Yeah.
Без іно дацн people. Um in the autism community. who are going to be harmed by this rhetoric? Whose sense of self Will very likely be severely compromised in some cases because I know us to be I know us to be a segment of the population, a community. Where our sensitivities run deep.
Hm.
And This kind of rhetoric does harm. So I fear for Far more for my community. than for myself. And when I sense that our community is under fire. I lift myself up. And I advocate mostly through my writing.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the purpose of this special edition and who are the hosts and sponsors?
0:04–10:10
2
How did the RFK announcement about an autism ‘epidemic’ and a registry affect the autistic community?
10:10–19:50
3
Why do guests describe the proposed autism registry/database as a privacy and safety threat?
19:50–28:38
4
What personal fears and experiences did parents and autistic adults share about the registry?
28:38–37:53
5
How are intersectional identities (LGBTQ+, disability, race) influencing autism advocacy strategies?
37:53–47:28
6
What is Autistic Advocates United and how does it aim to unite autistic people and allies?
47:28–56:09
7
How can listeners get involved through the community survey, working groups, and self‑care initiatives?
56:09–1:09:19
8
What are the final calls to action and next steps for supporting autistic autonomy and advocacy?
1:09:19–1:20:31