Aspies For Freedom (AFF) claims to be an advocacy organization according to its owner (yes it has an owner – its operated much like Autism Speaks). But its really not an advocacy organization. All decisions made for AFF are made by the owner, Gareth Nelson – and if you question his decision your called a troll, and if you continue to question his decisions your banned from his forums.
The name Aspies For Freedom (much like the Autism Speaks name) seems to hint that it speaks for Aspies – but in fact it does not. I have repeatedly questioned Gareth Nelsons’ decision making and how his organization is ran as well, much like I feel the need to question Autism Speaks. Mr Nelson has been flat out if you don’t like what appears, leave. His decisions such as supporting Autism as a minority, much like different ethnicity’s are is radical and extreme – much like the things that John Best says. The actions of AFF, like Mr Best as of late scream like a 3 year old seeking attention during a temper tantrum.
Today when I logged in to his message board I received a notice I was banned for the following reason: “Nasty individual aren’t you?“. Apparently Gareth got sick of me putting things like “AFF is all about decisions you make and there is no consensus. So its all about your aims.” when questioning his attention seeking throne that AFF is. Individuals like Mr Nelson are the people who make autism self-advocacy ineffective. Mr Neslon outright supports the autism supremacy movement which claims that autistic people are better than neuro-typical humans. This behavior needs to stop as its the cancer that is killing the autism self advocacy movement – making us look like idiots spouting radical nonsense makes us appear much like John Best.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Zach, thanks for speaking out about this. AFF simply feeds the pernicious strawmen and lies about autistic self-advocacy and pro-neurodiversity perspectives that are spread through the parent and professional communities by those who seek to deny autistic self-advocates and their allies their rightful role in autism policymaking.
I agree with you about AFF. I used to post there because I thought it would be a good place to be with other people like me, but I was bullied, terrorized, and insulted just for speaking my opinions. Plus, there was a whole load of fighting and banning there. For these reasons, I no longer frequent that site. If any NT person looked at that site and decided that autistic persons are a bunch of assholes that need to be cured, I would understand why. There’s more drama there than in a soap opera.
Sir,
While I agree that there have been people on AFF who have not been positive, I would argue that this is more of a societal problem than it is specific to AFF. I believe that the forum culture is generally positive. Sadly, a few elements will give the rest of us a bad name.
Instead of belittling us, you might join with us in common advocacy goals. The issues dividing you from us are small. The issues joining us are, sadly, all too great.
I thank you for allowing me to post on your site.
“I agree with you about AFF. I used to post there because I thought it would be a good place to be with other people like me, but I was bullied, terrorized, and insulted just for speaking my opinions. Plus, there was a whole load of fighting and banning there. For these reasons, I no longer frequent that site. ”
It seems as though some people (at AFF and elsewhere) are afraid they’ll be too neurotypical if they care what other people think and keep that in mind when posting instead of bullying, terrorizing, insulting, and fighting.