Thread by @krgpryal

Hello! I gave a long-ass interview for a #Bloomberg @business @bloombergtax article on Ernst and Young @EYTwitter's new neurodiversity initiative as a mental health expert and #actuallyautistic person and I'm glad to see that my opinion was IGNORED and TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT! 1/

The piece: "Growing EY Initiative Promotes Neurodiversity in the Workplace" news.bloombergtax.com/financial-acco… 2/ (prepare to cringe)

I'm going to just hope that the journalist I spoke with @TzulRichard (2023 journalism school, intern?) was overridden by his editors incl @JeffMHarrington. Because he was thoughtful and listened well during the interview. But what they published was a puff piece on EY program.

I'm trying to figure out if I have the #spoons to deal with this today, the piece just hit my inbox, honestly I did so much work—but they just DID NOT LISTEN. Ableds patting ableds on the back for doing abled stuff, ignoring the #actuallyautistic person in the room. 4/

The EY press release link has rotted (!!) can now be found on my WP site: katieroseguestpryal.com/wp-content/upl…
It's e-reader accessible. It's a nightmare. I wonder if they pulled it because I point out because it is a nightmare. #actuallyautistic #disabilityrights 5/

It reads, in part: "#Neurodivergent individuals, such as those with #dyslexia, #Asperger syndrome or #autism, make up approximately 20% of the global population and excel in data analytics and software management that supports emerging technologies..." WE DO? 6/

Also, JFC, use the right words. This is a PRESS RELEASE bragging about how you're so woke about neurodiversity and you can't get the words right? SERIOUSLY? @karriehiggins @cjp_still 7/

I pointed out that many autistic people excel at art and (ahem) writing and myriad other areas besides "math stuff" and that this press release reinforces the "Rain Man" stereotype. I spoke with this person for a full 30 minutes. I prepped for an hour. 8/

Putting one short quote of my in the entire piece, the one where I mentioned Rain Man (of ALL the things I said, he went right for that), the program director gets to rebut rebut rebut...and no mention is made of this nightmare of a press release that I'm responding to. 9/

JOURNALISTS: DON'T DO THIS. DON'T MAKE YOUR EXPERTS LOOK LIKE WE'RE RESPONDING TO NOTHING. THEY SAID IT. I RESPONDED TO IT. THEN LET HIM REBUT. @Blackamazon 10/

"But Shukla said these skills are emphasized since they serve as a foundation for EY’s work, including its core auditing service." Did he now? Is that what he said? That's great. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PRESS RELEASE SAID. #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity

Then there's issue that EY is segregating neurodivergent people into "teams"--based on their press release AND on an article that interviews an employee. From the PR: 12/

“The EY NCoEs activate the exponential power of neurodiversity by creating inclusive high-performance teams..."
??? "high-performance team" of autistics crunching numbers for EY? **Neurodiversity means neurodivergent people are welcome EVERYWHERE, among EVERYONE. ALWAYS. 13/

And I'm not just inferring this segregation from the press release. It's in an interview! Link: katieroseguestpryal.com/wp-content/upl… 14/

"Rhodes, 28, is finding ways to automate business processes for clients through computer system coding. He typically works alongside 12 other #neurodiverse individuals in a role that would have seem well out of reach even a year ago." 15/

Sidebar: individuals cannot be "neurodiverse"
Get #disabled people into your newsrooms. 16/

So back to my note on segregation: He typically works in a team of 12 other neurodivergent people. He is, I was told, supervised by a neurotypical person.
THIS IS NOT NEURODIVERSITY. And I told that to the journalist. @AutSciPerson
@autselfadvocacy 17/

My critique did not make it into the piece. Nope. But the director's rebuttal did! Here's what he said, and I am STEAMED.
"Despite NCoE’s name including the word “center,” staff are integrated into the workplace and not isolated from the rest of the company, Shukla said." 18/

If you're going to have him in conversation with an expert, then put us in conversation. If his own employees and his own press release say the opposite, then MENTION THAT. "Despite ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, my dude defends his program..." But this is a puff piece. 19/

Honestly, I'm a media expert. I should have effing asked, "Is this a puff piece?" And then bailed.
Why do #autistic advocates do this work? Because we're trying to make the world better.
But it is EXHAUSTING.
Let me finish with this *chef's kiss* best part. Here: 20/

My dude knows how we neurodivergent people feel! He's on our wavelength! For real!
"While not neurodivergent, Shukla said his experience as a refugee has inspired him to take up this initiative. As a refugee, he often had a different perspective from others..." 21/

"...and originally thought to “just converge and quite down.” But neurodivergent people have inspired him to embrace divergence, motivating him for his work with the NCoEs."
WE INSPIRED HIM, FRIENDS.
My god. THIS is the kicker to the piece? Seriously?
Or is this @TheOnion? 22/

"#Abled Man Inspired by #Neurodivergent People Because He Also Was Different, But, You Know, In a Different Way."
The link to the Bloomberg @business article is way up there, so here it is again.
news.bloomberglaw.com/financial-acco…
21/

OK I must really like the number 21 because I used it twice. Sorry. I never thread this long. I'm gonna write an essay. BRB. @thinkingautism /24 /end?

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