The Wrong Conversation, Again
There's no way I was going to stay silent as the person supposedly running the US Department of Health and Human Services officially tried to co-opt the entire country into disrespecting and maligning the neurodiverse among us.
Certain members of our federal government have convinced themselves that autism is some dreaded condition that needs to be healed. That's a whole lot of money and effort being thrown at perpetuating a lie, just so that allistics, (people who are not neurospicy,) don't have to consider that their way of thinking and doing is not better than other ways of thinking and doing.
Our Narcissistic Nation
This is ColonizerThink in action. Hear me out here: Our narcissistic culture with its roots dug deeply into the colonizer mindset that first birthed our country has always demanded that the citizenry wrap around the comfort of those in power. This is no different.
Who's Afraid of Respect?
Foundationally, this whole myth is being propagated so that allistics don't have to be respectful of differences, be kind to other humans who present differently than they expected, or to have their experience of life expanded. How threatening it must be to live a life where respect, kindness and learning are high values.
Never mind that at least one of the President's children certainly appears to be autistic, and yet seems to be taking hold of life just fine. But humans humanning the way we tend to human, many people would much rather project all of their insecurities and fears onto others than to >GASP!< do their own work in therapy to grow into a healthier life.
We've GOT You, Spicy Ones!
To all of my neurospicy siblings in the world, and especially in the US, please hear me when I say, we are all not buying into this. We see you. We value you. We are grateful that there is more than one way to human.
I was listening to Joanne Harris' book Vianne the other day. One of the characters described prayer as the act of "putting good into the world." I invite you to join me in that kind of prayer today and every day.
Pass the Tylenol, Please
All of this officially sanctioned ignorance and lack of mutuality and respect has given me a helluvah headache. I'm going to go take a Tylenol or three. Y'all be careful out there, and keep putting good into the world every way you can.