#AutisticWhileBlack to answer @lilririah 's question about black autistic acceptance and priorities : I can't speak for all of us because we are not a monolithic group 1/

What I can say is that the autism conversation is dominated by ableism, the presumption of incompetence, socioeconomic privilege in general and lack of representation marginalized groups in particular. 2/

The concepts of #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance and #DisabilityRights are infused with class and race privilege. Disabled Black activists' champion multiple causes because our survival depends on doing so. It is not a choice. 3/

This is why although I acknowledge and respect those whyte #ActuallyAutistic activists who introduced the acceptance concept and embraced neurodivergence I keep insisting that #autism organizations need representation beyond tokenism. 4/

The #AutisticWhileBlack hashtag grew out of my frustration with mainstream voices erasing the combined issues our people have to navigate that aren't being addressed because autistic BLPOC are "gathered" and their voices limited and edited by class and race gatekeeping 5/

It is important that #AutisticWhileBlack voices be heard beyond those given limited platforms for the sake of outward appearances of Black representation. 6/

Meaningful representation is what the entire #ActuallyAutistic community should be discussing. Transformative change without it will continue to be absorbed and appropriated by mainstream folks into change that will benefit the few at the expense of the many 7/

Things like the perversion of the death of #AvonteOquendo into a whyte autism parent organization cause célèbre with his family swept up in it but whyte voices appropriating theirs for their own aims is a perfect example. 8/

#AvonteOquendo's name was put to a law meant to promote limiting and surveillance of autistic youth in the same way folks are treated in the criminal justice system. Avonte was running from something. Presuming he was competent means public policy needs to dig deeper into that 9/

Instead #AvontesLaw approaches #AustisticWandering /elopement the way slave owners did. OG Black disabled activists know the history of false narratives like 'drapetomamia' drove public policy to recapture escaped slaves. The human right to elope from slavery was ignored.
10/

Those who dominate the autism conversation claim to know the causes of autistic wandering when no funding has been set aside to study this. We only discuss the consequences of it and how to imprison and surveil to prevent it. 11/

I know #ActuallyAutistic adults who voluntarily wear gps tracking devices because they have the AAC support to communicate that many public spaces disorient them. 12/

For informed #AutisticWhileBlack people and their families, the idea of solving a misunderstood navigation issue by legalizing using ankle bracelets and surveillance is abhorrent because of our historical trauma. 13/

I cannot think of one dominant voice in the autism conversation who would understand that unless they made an effort to learn our history because they are neither black nor educated about the history of slavery and disability in our society. 14/

This is why the needs of the #AutisticWhileBlack community require Black spaces and working groups. 15/

The final word here must be #RepresentationMatters. There can be no #AutismAcceptance without unfettered representation across marginalized populations, full stop. 16/