AUTISM SPEAKS IN AMER-REE-CAH!

By Kim Stagliano

Autism Speaks seems to have accomplished the impossible, bringing together autism's "Jets and Sharks" (The "Curebies" and the "ND's") in a moment of agreement.   

Here's another analogy for those of you who might not be familiar with 50 year old Broadway plays....  Think of observant Jews who keep kosher and observant Muslims who also do not eat pork.  Two fairly disparate groups, yes? Autism Speaks is often considered a slab of ham wrapped in bacon smothered in sausage gravy by both groups.

Many within the autism world were astounded at the draconian measures Autism Speaks took against a young person on the autism spectrum for creating a parody website called "NT Speaks" that expressed her opinion of this powerful organization.   ("NT" stands for Neurotypical, a description of someone who does not have autism or Asperger's.)

This young person has posted that she was sued for last week for $90,000 for copyright infringement, lost revenue, and drawing away 1 million of the charity’s supporters.  (JB, are we hiring? The teen's a genius!) She also writes that Autism Speaks dropped the threat of a lawsuit when they learned her age HERE.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism.

 

Comments

[Stagmom]

There was a piece on TV just last night about how parents simply can't keep up with their kids' computer skills. Technology has passed them by and the kids are absolute whizzes. I'd say "Kelly" falls into the whiz category. I wish I'd seen the spoof site - Kelly sounds like a real pip. I wish her well. Perhaps she has a lucrative career in high tech ahead of herself, which would be very cool.

KIM S.

[Christine]

I like how the webmaster Kelly said here: http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthread.php?tid=11704

"Minors cant do counter sue's and i dont want my parents to know about it. if they do i swear ill be disowned, or send to military school or something."

Kelly has on her profile:

"My name is Kelly Becker i'm a M2F transgender.
i also have an official Aspergers Syndrome diagnosis
i have been homeschooled for almost my entire life and i have just been enrolled in the local high school *yikes* its a little frightning and exiting at the same time."

KELLY IS 14 YEARS OLD! No wonder Autism Speaks backed down.

Where are her parents? They obviously don't monitor her actions on the internet.