Thread by @ekverstania

BAN OF CONVERSION THERAPIES FOR AUTISTIC PEOPLE [THREAD]

"Conversion therapies are pseudoscientific practices of trying to change an individual’s behaviour to conform to the social expectations of a particular culture using psychological and physical interventions."

"Various jurisdictions around the world have passed laws against LGTBQIA+ conversion therapy."

"However, the same underlying techniques of coercion continue to be applied to young autistic children and other vulnerable people, as can be seen in [the School of Psychology, University of Auckland] description of the scope of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)..."

"Any legislation which is so selective as to ban only “conversion therapies” that target a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is in itself discriminatory."

"If a government moves to ban the mistreatment of one minority in a particular manner but neglects similar mistreatment of other minorities it is more than negligent, it is actively legitimising prejudice."

"Now is the time for the governments all around the world to act and to ban all forms of conversion therapy. The time for change is now."

Source: @AutCollab

autcollab.org/projects/ban-o…

I have written to the Speaker of @ParliamentofRSA to ask that conversion therapy used against autistic people under the label 'ABA' be included in the ban.

https://twitter.com/mailandguardian/status/1412783373236453383?s=19

@ParliamentofRSA There are autism professionals and other allies in South Africa who will support us in seeking this ban. But the motion will not come from them.

There is currently no formally constituted organisation in South Africa that represents autistic people, and it is therefore important that autistic individuals make their views known.

Defenders of ABA (conversion therapy) say that it is 'evidence-based' and that it 'works'. Here is a metastudy of that 'evidence'. The evidence shows widespread ethical violations and bad science. njace.us/webinars/autis…

ABA (conversion therapy) is a multibillion dollar global industry that violates the UN Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities (#CRPD).

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1378320758888357889

South Africa has signed and ratified this Convention, and the bill to ban conversion therapy would help to fulfil the obligations of the South African government in respect of this treaty.

If you would like to support the ban indirectly, I'd encourage you to share these two messages by incorporating them in your own advocacy in your own way.

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1421912167847186432

Support the communication rights of nonspeaking autistic people. Their parents are among those most likely to be targeted by ABA providers. Providers claim that ABA is used successfully to motivate autistic children to speak.

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1333811534494007296

The governance bodies for ABA (conversion therapy) allow for extreme forms torture within their ethical framework, if nothing else manages to deliver the results they want. #BanABA

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1412844687057113089

As with gay conversion therapy, ABA is also pitched as being for the benefit of its victims.

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1404724141798875138

They say it's easier to change the individual than it is to change society's attitude towards minorities.

We disagree. Autistic people require healthy AUTISTIC strategies. That's why we want all #ConversionTherapy (including ABA) banned.

https://twitter.com/ekverstania/status/1422543183347658755?s=19

Good news! The Council for Counsellors in South Africa supports the initiative to #BanABA/#ConversionTherapy for autistic people! I've also posted a request for support to a large group of allied health professionals (occupational therapists, SLTs, etc.).
c4csa.org/index.htm