To people rightfully fighting back against Cummings horrible actions and excuses:

Please refrain from statements such as

„Autism is not an excuse!“
„I have an autistic child and I can do this!“
„I‘m autistic and I can do it!“
„There shouldn‘t be exceptions for autistic people!“

Yes, he‘s a horrible person.

But you‘re doing autistic people no favor at all when you say those things.

In fact you are perpetuating a narrative used against us daily that does a lot of harm.

Fight back but PLEASE don‘t throw autistic people under the bus in the process.

I am aware that it‘s possible that Cummings and his people are abusing the very thing I am asking you all not to do.

Counting on the fact that people will have sympathy, won‘t dare question the actions of a „desperate“ father of an autistic child etc.

Still.

Don‘t do this.

Whatever you say regarding this situation, be aware that:

- autistic people see/hear it too

- any public autism discourse always affects autistic people...not just the non-autistic person you are pushing back against

For the sake of autistic people wordwide: please be mindful.

If parts or all of Cummings’ story are phony excuses...that doesn‘t change the fact that armchair diagnosing (or un-diagnosing) autism, and statements like the ones I mentioned are all harmful and should be refrained from.

It’s unfair, and it’s hard, but we have to do better.

Apparently this is necessary:

Before you come at me for this, please make sure you actually understand what I am saying.

Feel free to ask me for clarification.

Anyone who reads this and thinks I am defending Cummings in any way is not understanding me at all.

This thread isn‘t about pushing back against Cummings.

Pushing back against Cmmings is good and necessary.

This thread is about pushing back against Cummings with generalized autism-related statements that hurt autistic people in the process.

The difference matters.