I can’t find any official confirmation #Dominicummimgs’ son is #autistic but there are lots of tweets saying:
‘The medical issues Boris didnt want to discuss is that Cummings' child has autism, meaning he must be left with familiar adults otherwise it will cause him distress.’
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All of these tweets are worded in a similar way, almost like a script has been circulated. Can’t tell where this has come from, or if it’s rumour or fact.
It’s upsetting for many of us who are #ActuallyAutistic that #autism is yet again misrepresented as a medical condition.
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Having just about survived Autism Awareness Month it’s daunting to be facing yet more autism-related speculation. Frequently the focus is on autistic deficits not differences. And there’s often an unhelpful assumption that autism isn’t the kind of thing you’d want to disclose.
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Those of us who are autistic adults were once autistic children. Some (like me) weren’t recognised as such until much later on. What’s clear from conversations within the #ActuallyAutistic community is just how varied our experiences are. So it’s awful when we get stereotyped.
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It’s horrible if we are patronised, pitied or treated like our perspectives aren’t valid just because we’re #autistic. Some of the negative comments we read about #autism can be quite upsetting. We are no less unique, sensitive or deserving of full #HumanRights than others.
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Many #autistic people have been repeatedly bullied, abused or used by others. Those of us who survive into adulthood are sometimes so alert to this possibility that we are traumatised. We may be highly attuned to psychological game playing or dishonesty as potential threats.
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Speculation is growing over whether or not #dominiccummimgs’ son is #autistic and whether this affects the interpretation of lockdown rules. Against a backdrop of dishonest manipulation of public opinion by the government it’s hard not to see this as some kind of cynical ploy.
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The truth is we simply don’t know what’s going on and we can’t rely on finding out anytime soon. We’re floundering around in uncertainty. What’s right? What’s wrong? How can we possibly tell? Is autism being used for personal political reasons, like an unbeatable trump card?
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Can we ever trust the stories we are told by politicians? I know I could never trust this government. How do we reconcile the empathy we feel for an individual child with the need for consistent application of the rules? The more I think about this the more muddled it gets.
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Support for autistic children and adults is notable by its absence. So many people are struggling after 10 long years of austerity. If it does turn out that autism was a factor in #dominiccummimgs breaking lockdown my thoughts will be with those who did not have that choice.
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