🧩 When “Choice” Is Only for Some: Let’s Talk About Ableism in Housing

The Autism Housing Network of Alberta offers a helpful checklist encouraging autistic individuals to define what they “Need to Have,” “Prefer to Have,” and “Do Not Need” in their homes.

The list includes things like:

 • Parking

 • Dishwasher

 • In-suite laundry

 • Barbecue

 • Microwave

 • Ground-floor living

 • Nearby public transit

 • Even a personal bathroom

All reasonable, right? They’re not just talking about necessities — they’re encouraging autistic people to think about what makes them comfortable, functional, and able to thrive. Even things like a barbecue or a microwave, which are clearly lifestyle-based preferences more than accessibility essentials, are included. Because the whole point is: you should get to choose how you live.

So why is it that when an autistic person says, “I smoke and I need to live somewhere that accommodates that,” suddenly choice becomes a punishable offence?

Why is it that smoking — which is a legal adult activity, often linked to coping mechanisms in mental health and neurodivergence — disqualifies someone from receiving the same dignity of choice the rest of society has?

Let’s be honest:

🔹 They didn’t include “smoking” on this list. But they also didn’t include “barbecue” because it’s a health food.

🔹 They included “microwave” — which literally has nothing to do with accessibility — but say nothing about how smoking helps some autistic adults self-regulate.

🔹 And they certainly didn’t put asterisks next to any of these amenities saying, “Oh, by the way, if you need this, you’re not welcome in publicly subsidized housing.”

This is ableism disguised as policy.

It’s not about safety — it’s about control.

And it’s one more way governments are saying:

“You’re only allowed to have autonomy if it fits inside our narrow idea of what being disabled should look like.”

If we’re going to encourage neurodivergent people to define what makes their home feel like home, then that standard needs to apply across the board. That means:

✅ Legal, adult choices

✅ Personalized environments

✅ Housing that supports actual human needs — not moralistic mandates

And if your public policies contradict the very tools meant to support disabled people in self-advocacy? That’s a you problem, not an us problem.

Here’s where we need your help.

If you haven’t already, please sign the petition. Then visit our Facebook group (link provided in a previous update) and help us raise awareness by sharing it with your family and friends. You can also head to our Facebook page and share some of our public posts that contain the petition link — this helps us work around Facebook’s restrictions on directly sharing Change.org petition links in Canada due to the news ban. Every share counts. Every voice matters.

#AutismHousingRights

#NeurodivergentNeedsMatter

#AbleismInPolicy

#DisabilityIsNotASin

#BoomGoesThePolicy

#TruthBomb

#MicDropMoments

#AccessibleByChoice

#HousingJusticeAB

#AutismAlberta

#StopSystemicAbleism