Language, and Autistic identity and culture.

 

Welcome to our iTas Membership!

 

The education and information on offer to families, educators, allied health professionals and other members of the public will be derivative of lived experience from diverse perspectives and intersectional communities that are neurokin to us.

This includes our neurodivergent communities who are also indigenous, LGBTQIA+, adults, youth, multicultural, non speaking, and living out a variety of neurodivergent expressions.

Diversity within neurodivergence is profoundly important as it showcases what we know; that is; that the “autism spectrum” is neither a linear representation or sliding scale of functionality, but a wonderful array of strengths, challenges, sensory profiles, communicative differences, and physical expressions of human being and human doing.

The neurodiversity movement and paradigm seeks to dismantle what has been for more than a century now, the stereotype of autism.

We want to communicate candidly; with courage, honesty and truth both our incredible resilience and the many adversities we face as misunderstood people.

We are passionate about social change and radical acceptance and our mission is to change the current narrative many families are often provided upon their child being identified neurodivergent.

Those narratives are often lived out, carried into spaces where support is sought, and dismal and limiting perspectives and hope for neurodivergent children are cultivated.

Kristy Forbes, inTune Pathways and all products owned by inTune Pathways advocates for positive neurodivergent identity.

We are diverse, we are different, and we are proud.

We use language that encompasses pride in autistic identity and culture; and is embedded in The Neurodiversity paradigm.

For this reason, there is a preference for language to be used in alignment with this framework.

It is important that the following be noted and applied where possible

 

• Identity first language

 

The use of identity first language places neurodivergence as being central to a person’s being. “I am autistic” is our preferred language in order to cultivate pride. 

Whilst we understand that many people choose person first language ie “I have autism” or “I am a person with autism”, it is often preferred by many autstic adults that this be avoided as it often drives the perspective of a person considering autism or neurodivergence as negative or “only a small part of the person”.

 

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

 

We avoid using language that connotes disorder, being less than or othered; and/or requiring fixing and changing. In the same respect, we avoid the use of the abbreviated version “ASD”, such as “ASD people”, “ASDers” and we are cautious around terminology that reflects deficit focused language.

 

• Disability

 

We recognise that autism is a disability and we centre our content around the social model of disability rather than the medical model of disability. This means that a person will experience disability in accordance with how well supported, accommodated and understood they are in their environment. We promote guidance and mentorship in exploration of autistic identity and model self advocacy in order to identify and recognise how we can both support ourselves and be supported by others.

 

• Autistic voices

 

We prioritise the autistic voice and support the amplification of that voice via allies.

We avoid investing energy in the culture of warrior autism parents and instead, encourage families to understand their children and respect and embrace their differences.

This should be carried out respectfully, with compassion, understanding and love.

We are not to demonise or vilify families, as this only adds to the cultivation of chronic, prolonged stress and burnout in families. Our goal is to empower and uplift the people raising our upcoming generations of neurodivergent populations.

 

• Ethical Boundaries

 

It is important to be conscious of the information we share, along with suggestions and advice we offer. We promote sharing our lived experience, which emphasises our own, unique, individualised experiences.

We avoid engaging in giving any advice aligned with medical practice and mental health care targeted toward others. This means never sharing specific details about any medications or therapies we use in our own lives in order to avoid liability and responsibility for others we are not engaged in clinical relationship with.

 

• Our safety

Our right to respect and safety is paramount. We are never expected to withstand disrespect or mistreatment of any kind, at any time; and disrespect and mistreatment is based on our experience of how safe or unsafe we feel. 

Our sense of belonging and acceptance comes first and the spaces and offerings we create must be a safe space for Neurodivergent people first.

 

Contact Us

 

If ever there are any concerns or difficulties that arise, or there are topics you’d like to discuss or gain clarity on that are not included here, please contact us at the following:

 

Laura Capilli [email protected]

 

Kristy Forbes [email protected]