TIME TO EXIST
Donna Williams
April 13, 2006
I would like to draw people's attention to Disability Discrimination Act which is part of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commissions (government) rulings (at least here in Australia).
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/complaints_information/index.html
The disability act often refers to people in wheelchairs or those with hearing or sight or language impairments because those in these groups often know what their needs are. Whilst many require few or no adapations, many people with autism spectrum conditions can have mild, moderate or severe communication or social communication challenges, sensory perceptual processing or hypersensitivity problems, co-morbid mood, anxiety or compulsive disorders which are more or less managed but may still require certain adaptations. They are no less entitled than those with any other disability to expect reasonable adaptations from their environment to ensure full inclusion.
I have been into the bank and given instructions to get back out through the automatic doors which I can't follow. I asked for help, telling them I have an information processing problem and need to actually be helped through the instructions to learn the procedure. Had they refused or insisted I follow their instruction instead, they'd have been breaking a law under the Disability Discrimination Act.
At the bank I've been asked to add up my payments before coming to the counter. I continually jumble my numbers or omit something, leading them to later have to correct this on my account. Once I explained to them I tumble written and verbal information and struggle to do things mentally as I need to work things out physically, then they agreed I could give the adding up to them. Had they refused to make this adaptation for me they'd be breaking a law under the Disability Discrimination Act.
I struggle at the post office regularly due to tumbled and partial information processing. The previous owners were very impatient if not mocking and rude to me. I felt demeaned and ashamed even though I was doing my best. I could have taken them to court under the Disability Discrimination Act. Fortunately they left and the next owners have been wonderful.
I recently became a paying member of a writer's guild, one of the advertised benefits of which was the ability to attend their development workshops. As these were all verbal presentations and I have tumbled, delayed and partial auditory processing I couldn't attend without someone to help me translate what I thought I heard into what was said and make notes of the things I couldn't keep up with. Others could come along at a cost. As I needed someone to come along who wouldn't directly gain from the workshop I felt it was unfair I be charged for that. The head of the organization understood and allowed me to bring such a person and so I've been able to come away feeling equal to others and feel I've gained knowledge and made some contacts with people others would have and I normally could not have. My husband was my interpreter, and he also facilitated social conversation between me and strangers where my own social communication and, sometimes language itself, let me down. Had this writer's guild refused to make these simple adaptations, they'd have been discriminating against me under the Disability Discrimination Act.
How many people on the autistic spectrum feel they can't ask a presenter to speak more slowly when a person hard of hearing may be accustomed to asking people to speak up? How many people on the spectrum can't ask to sit where they can see because they can't fluently process what they hear when a hearing impaired person may be accustomed to asking for such things? How many people on the spectrum would ask for the right to bring a facilitator to help them communicate, keep up or understand when a hearing or sight impaired person might bring a translator, a guide dog, a cane, a companion and not expect to be charged extra for their presence? How many people on the spectrum avoid all kinds of skills development opportunities, special interests and hobby groups because they fear they'll tic or rock or hum if they can't give themselves permission to initiate taking a break or don't have a facilitator present to help them realise and act on that need so they CAN remain involved in a session?
Its time people with autism stood up for themselves and their rights to access the wider societies products, services, places and connections through asking people to make REASONABLE adaptions that make this inclusion possible. These are made for them when in day centres, residential settings or special education but many are not part of such 'services' and end up socially isolated with few or poorly developed skills largely because of all the ways they DIDN'T access what was out there. It's time to stop fearing the non-autistic world and strive to be part of it, on terms that work for equality and inclusion. We can't do it if we give up, allow ourselves to be intimidated, made to feel like a burden. We can do it if we keep trying and keep 'out there'. If not for ourselves, we should at least make those in-roads for those who will follow in our footsteps.
Donna Williams *)
author, artist, advocate, rebel.
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/complaints_information/index.html
The disability act often refers to people in wheelchairs or those with hearing or sight or language impairments because those in these groups often know what their needs are. Whilst many require few or no adapations, many people with autism spectrum conditions can have mild, moderate or severe communication or social communication challenges, sensory perceptual processing or hypersensitivity problems, co-morbid mood, anxiety or compulsive disorders which are more or less managed but may still require certain adaptations. They are no less entitled than those with any other disability to expect reasonable adaptations from their environment to ensure full inclusion.
I have been into the bank and given instructions to get back out through the automatic doors which I can't follow. I asked for help, telling them I have an information processing problem and need to actually be helped through the instructions to learn the procedure. Had they refused or insisted I follow their instruction instead, they'd have been breaking a law under the Disability Discrimination Act.
At the bank I've been asked to add up my payments before coming to the counter. I continually jumble my numbers or omit something, leading them to later have to correct this on my account. Once I explained to them I tumble written and verbal information and struggle to do things mentally as I need to work things out physically, then they agreed I could give the adding up to them. Had they refused to make this adaptation for me they'd be breaking a law under the Disability Discrimination Act.
I struggle at the post office regularly due to tumbled and partial information processing. The previous owners were very impatient if not mocking and rude to me. I felt demeaned and ashamed even though I was doing my best. I could have taken them to court under the Disability Discrimination Act. Fortunately they left and the next owners have been wonderful.
I recently became a paying member of a writer's guild, one of the advertised benefits of which was the ability to attend their development workshops. As these were all verbal presentations and I have tumbled, delayed and partial auditory processing I couldn't attend without someone to help me translate what I thought I heard into what was said and make notes of the things I couldn't keep up with. Others could come along at a cost. As I needed someone to come along who wouldn't directly gain from the workshop I felt it was unfair I be charged for that. The head of the organization understood and allowed me to bring such a person and so I've been able to come away feeling equal to others and feel I've gained knowledge and made some contacts with people others would have and I normally could not have. My husband was my interpreter, and he also facilitated social conversation between me and strangers where my own social communication and, sometimes language itself, let me down. Had this writer's guild refused to make these simple adaptations, they'd have been discriminating against me under the Disability Discrimination Act.
How many people on the autistic spectrum feel they can't ask a presenter to speak more slowly when a person hard of hearing may be accustomed to asking people to speak up? How many people on the spectrum can't ask to sit where they can see because they can't fluently process what they hear when a hearing impaired person may be accustomed to asking for such things? How many people on the spectrum would ask for the right to bring a facilitator to help them communicate, keep up or understand when a hearing or sight impaired person might bring a translator, a guide dog, a cane, a companion and not expect to be charged extra for their presence? How many people on the spectrum avoid all kinds of skills development opportunities, special interests and hobby groups because they fear they'll tic or rock or hum if they can't give themselves permission to initiate taking a break or don't have a facilitator present to help them realise and act on that need so they CAN remain involved in a session?
Its time people with autism stood up for themselves and their rights to access the wider societies products, services, places and connections through asking people to make REASONABLE adaptions that make this inclusion possible. These are made for them when in day centres, residential settings or special education but many are not part of such 'services' and end up socially isolated with few or poorly developed skills largely because of all the ways they DIDN'T access what was out there. It's time to stop fearing the non-autistic world and strive to be part of it, on terms that work for equality and inclusion. We can't do it if we give up, allow ourselves to be intimidated, made to feel like a burden. We can do it if we keep trying and keep 'out there'. If not for ourselves, we should at least make those in-roads for those who will follow in our footsteps.
Donna Williams *)
author, artist, advocate, rebel.
http://www.donnawilliams.net
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