End the Perpetuation of Pity

End the Perpetuation of Pity

The Issue

As April's "autism awareness" is used by charities for fund-raising, depictions of autistic people, usually children, as monstrous, fearsome, pitiable, suffering, and a burden become ever more pervasive.  So do depictions of brave, successfully "normalized," or "inspirational in overcoming their disability" children, teens, or young adults.

These stereotypes not only perpetuate fear and discrimination, and have been repeatedly decried as offensive and inappropriate by disabled people themselves, but they are not necessary for successful fund-raising campaigns.

This April, support autistic children, teens, young adults, and adults by refusing to participate in "awareness" events or fundraising that use pity, poster children, or "supercrips" as the basis of their media or campaigns.  These tactics are dehumanising and distasteful, and have no place in charity work.

Pledge to donate to autism-related charities or participate in awareness events that don't resort to pity.

avatar of the starter
Dora RaymakerPetition StarterDora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She works toward this goal from within the social sciences as Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education, from within the self-advocacy community as a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors, and through her professional and volunteer work in education, outreach, and consulting within the Autism and Disability community.
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This petition had 347 supporters

The Issue

As April's "autism awareness" is used by charities for fund-raising, depictions of autistic people, usually children, as monstrous, fearsome, pitiable, suffering, and a burden become ever more pervasive.  So do depictions of brave, successfully "normalized," or "inspirational in overcoming their disability" children, teens, or young adults.

These stereotypes not only perpetuate fear and discrimination, and have been repeatedly decried as offensive and inappropriate by disabled people themselves, but they are not necessary for successful fund-raising campaigns.

This April, support autistic children, teens, young adults, and adults by refusing to participate in "awareness" events or fundraising that use pity, poster children, or "supercrips" as the basis of their media or campaigns.  These tactics are dehumanising and distasteful, and have no place in charity work.

Pledge to donate to autism-related charities or participate in awareness events that don't resort to pity.

avatar of the starter
Dora RaymakerPetition StarterDora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She works toward this goal from within the social sciences as Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education, from within the self-advocacy community as a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors, and through her professional and volunteer work in education, outreach, and consulting within the Autism and Disability community.
Media inquiries

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Petition created on April 2, 2009