Thread by @NortherlyRose

#Thread
The problem with privilege.
Personal reflections from a very late diagnosed #ActuallyAutistic perspective.
Inequality is something most autistic people are horribly familiar with.
We get spoken on behalf of, pushed to the sidelines and ignored.
#AutismAcceptanceMonth
1/

Most (probably all) autistic people experience inequality, but some of us are more unequal than others.
Additional inequalities are partly structural, resulting from prejudice and discrimination towards people who are black, brown, LGBTQIA+, physically disabled, non-speaking.
2/

Age, gender, educational achievement, and social class also help to determine the attitudes and obstacles we encounter.
As a white 62 year old autistic woman I have privilege, but not as much as when I was younger, undiagnosed, and in the peak years of my professional career.
3/

Personal prejudices of individuals marginalise and minoritize autistic people too.
In-between the personal and the political sit numerous organisations acting as gatekeepers for who gets to be involved.
My social work training made me reflect on what it means to be white.
4/

There are many situations in which I am at an advantage simply by virtue of my ethnicity, whether or not that is recognised by me or the other people involved.
This is so important when it comes to understanding the challenges black, brown, and other minoritised people face.
5/

If you’re #autistic and #black you’re likely to experience discrimination on both counts.
If you’re a woman, non-binary, or trans, add on gender-based discrimination.
And if you’re physically disabled, or old, there’s further marginalisation.
Discrimination is multi-layered.
6/

While we all face unique challenges, and nothing should be assumed about our lives, it’s important to acknowledge that some people ARE less equal than others.
We shouldn’t just encourage them to try harder to be heard.
We must dismantle barriers they face.
#intersectionality
7/

When I say ‘we’ I mean that both collectively and individually.
There is always something more we can do to tackle inequality.
If we’re fortunate enough to be given some kind of platform we can question who isn’t being represented, and make sure that they get included too.
8/

The problem with privilege is it’s relative.
As people experiencing discrimination it can be difficult to hear that others are even worse off than ourselves.
We battle to be heard in a world with a very limited attention span, and we sometimes end up speaking over each other.
9/

Many of us have got a lot to say.
It’s the result of having been silenced for so long.
When we finally find our voices and the confidence to speak up it feels liberating.
At last we can tell the world how we feel.
Hence my long Twitter threads about my late autism diagnosis.
10/

I can only speak with any certainty about my own experience of being autistic, but that doesn’t mean other people’s lives are less important.
For many of us social justice is a defining characteristic of what it means to be autistic, and this is what underpins our #activism
11/

The spaces where autistic people get listened to are still limited.
It gets crowded and we feel like we’re competing to be heard.
We need to create more opportunities as well as addressing inequalities within the existing ones.
#NothingAboutUsWithoutAllOfUs
#ActuallyAutistic
12/

Privilege is more of a problem if it’s not acknowledged.
It seems like a contradiction, but because it’s relative, we can be ‘disadvantaged’ and ‘privileged’ at the same time.
That’s how I see myself.
There’s a lot that’s within my power to fix.
And a lot more that’s not.
13/

Some seem to think if all #ActuallyAutistic people tried harder they’d have access to the same opportunities, but this isn’t so.
Disadvantage and oppression are partly politically determined (as with the proposed exclusion of trans people from the UK conversion therapy ban).
14/

Individual outcomes also depend on socioeconomic and educational privilege or disadvantage, and networks of support we have access to.
While I went through difficult times, in insecure accommodation on a low income, I was relatively privileged thanks to my family’s support.
15/

#AutismAcceptanceMonth is a difficult time for many autistic people.
With each year that passes it’s obvious how far we have to go.
I sometimes feel like I’m chasing an inflatable which is drifting out to sea.
I should be getting closer, but it’s still just out of my reach.
16/

If we look back we can see how far we’ve come.
And we can take heart from other social movements too.
Long battles for justice have brought about significant changes, but it’s never ‘over’.
Their struggle for equality, inclusion and rights goes on, and we should be allies.
17/

There’s a particular problem with @Twitter because content is managed in a way that excludes some people.
I opt to see ‘Latest’ rather than ‘Home’ Tweets to mitigate this.
If I find myself in a bubble where everyone is agreeing with me I try to seek out some opposing views.
18/

Social media isn’t known for constructive debate on contentious issues, but this can happen here, just as it can in other spaces.
It can be painful if what’s under discussion is something we feel passionate about, and are affected by, but if we want change it’s worth it.
19/

Advocating for social justice helps me cope with feelings of frustration, anger and helplessness about inequality.
I love what @MorenikeGO says about how she noticed various forms of injustice, and found ways of “doing right by others”.
There’s always something we can do.
20/end

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