Fighting Prejudice

This week two headlines caught my eye and I have been thinking about the way in which schools and society down play derogatory terms and remarks about disability. The first was the guardian article about Pierre Lellouche’s response to the Conservative Party’s about turn on European policy. Lellouche accused the shadow foreign secretary of “Bizarre Autism”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/04/france-autistic-tories-castrated-uk?CMP=AFCYAH

There seems to be a worrying trend in the media, for the term Autism to be applied to people who are dogmatic, rigid or just even just socially awkward. As a parent who has seen dozens of reports and questionnaires’ about my son’s social communication deficit, it angers me that the term autism, which after all relates to a spectrum of neurological disorders, can be devalued if not degraded in this way.


It is also worth stating that the context of his statement, indeed the whole point of his argument, was that the behaviour of the Tory party was socially unacceptable, and would understandably result in their exclusion from Europe. Now his comment is intended as a political one (whether we should be within Europe or not) but his statement may be seen to imply that he also considers it understandable that ‘autists’ be excluded from society due to their unacceptable behaviour. Nice!

The second article, by Ian Birell, calls for prejudice comments and hate crimes against the disabled, to be treated with the same gravity as those against race and religion.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/ian-birrell-mind-your-language-words-can%20-cause-terrible-damage-1815641.html

Birell not only refers to Lellouche’s use of autism ‘as a form of political abuse’ but also lists quotes from actors and people in the music industry who routinely use terms such as ‘retard.’ As a parent of a child with ‘profound disability’ he has experienced the stares and derogatory comments for the general public. Similarly, those children with social communication and learning difficulties like M, are the daily target of verbal bullying.

Recently, during a sports club meeting the children were asked to find a partner. M ran from child to child desperately trying to find a partner, whilst they made derogatory comments and sneered. Are we doing enough to encourage our children to appreciate all children? after all, it would be taken very seriously (and rightly so) if a child was excluded because of his ethnicity.

All Hallows'een

Charlotte Vicarage

You may remember that I posted about Charlotte's dream to make animated films, about living with Autism. http://sunshinetc.blogspot.com/2008/10/five-little-speckled-frogs.html.

Here is an update on the eagerly awaited films by the newspaper Newbury Today;
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=11407

It's great to hear that Charlotte has finally made her dream a reality. I am very honoured that Charlotte has dropped by and left a comment. Here is the link to her films and web page;

http://www.itvfixers.com/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=userProfile&user=96&Itemid

They are all amazing and I can particularly enjoyed 'Charlotte's introduction to Autism' and 'Charlotte's Butterfly Metaphor.' I can see many parallels between the descriptions in film and the way that M learned to speak, especially his use of echolalia. I was also very moved by Charlotte's description of herself as a 'political prisoner' in a mainstream school and can see how this applies to so many children struggling to cope with inclusion. I am sure that the films would be a very valuable resource for every school and nursery Nationwide.

Proud Mummy Moment

Conjunctions