My Mothers a Neurotypical, Please Be Nice To Me.
Bet that caught your eye!
How about….My Aunt Has Down Syndrome, Please Be Nice To Me?
Or My Son Is Gay, Please Be Nice To a Me…..
No? Still inappropriate? Still disgusting and suggests you need pity because a relative is of a certain neurotype or has an extra chromosome?
Ok how about I Have Autism….Please Be Nice To My Mum.
Or even better? I Have Autism Please Be Nice To My Family/ Brother.
How about if that sentence was out there on goods, being purchased as we speak?
Theres a woman named Melanie Harper who is not on Facebook and I can’t find her via Google or Twitter to invite her to comment.
This woman thinks it’s appropriate to have made a design and splash it across tshirts, bibs, vests and even,…….wait for it…..20 oz shot glasses!
This was first brought to my attention in a large Autism support Facebook group, someone posted a picture of a child wearing the tshirt with the above words across his chest.
It hurt.
As an Autistic myself and parent of children on the Autistic spectrum it hurt to see this child wearing a shirt that said to me “ I’m sorry….I’m sorry I’m so hard to manage, that I make my mothers life so hard, that I make things inconvenient. I Have Autism…Please Be a Nice To My Mum….”.
People commented on the post, mine was first.
I commented ‘ My Mothers Neurotypical, Please Be Nice To Me.’
Some people didn’t get it and thought I was being horrible, some got it and shared my view that it was a pity party garment inviting sympathy for a parent who had chosen to let their child inform the world that their mother needed extra nice because their child is neurologically different.
I decided along with others to complain to the company.
I sent an email and was answered by a lovely lady named Betty.
I explained that as an autistic I found the text on these items offensive.
Betty has promised to look at the product with a review for removal.
The fact that items like this exist drives back the acceptance movement, the Autism Speaks machine has done its work well, suggesting that Autism is an epidemic and something to be feared.
That has now led to a mentality in some that they are ‘ battling’ Autism. That if their child accomplishes something they have ‘ kicked Autisms butt’, that the child has somehow defeated their own neuro type to do whatever task was set.
Mostly these posts have nothing to do with a difficulty Autism would have presented:
‘Marcus peddled a bike!! F**k you Autism!’
‘Sandra did up a button! In your face Autism!’
Yes, Well done Marcus and Sandra, you worked well and coped with Dyspraxia!
‘My son managed to use the toilet today, we are beating Autism one day at a time!’
‘ Mary wrote her name today!! She’s ten and been battling Autism all her life!’
Yes, well done Son and Mary you have worked well and coped with Developmental/Global Delay and Learning Difficulties.
This pity partying, this attitude of needing people to be ‘nice’ because you have a child whom is Autistic needs to stop.
Maybe ‘My Child Is Autistic Please Be Considerate.’
‘ My Child Is Autistic Admire The Awesome!’
Café Press, I hope you will remove the offending items and Melanie Harper, I invite you to answer this if you see it, your item is hurtful and I believe it should be removed.
What do you think?
And as I finish this article Café Press emailed me to say they have removed the item from sale, thank you to them for listening and taking into consideration the feelings of the Autistic community.
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