Aspies For Freedom

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Aspies For Freedom
Formation2004;21 years ago (2004)
FounderAmy Nelson, Gwen Nelson
PurposeDisability advocacy
Website www.aspiesforfreedom.com

Aspies For Freedom (AFF) is a solidarity and campaigning group aligned with the autistic rights movement. The aim of AFF is to teach the public that autism is not always a disability and that there are advantages as well as disadvantages. [1] The group organizes an annual Autistic Pride Day and opposes attempts to cure autism. [2] [3]

Contents

History

Established in 2004 by Amy and Gwen Nelson, AFF has received coverage from publications, such as New Scientist magazine. [4] As of August 2007, The Guardian estimated the group's membership at 20,000. [3]

Activism

Gwen Nelson has made internet parodies of controversial [5] [6] [7] non-profit organization Autism Speaks, saying that they were silencing opposing views. [8] AFF petitioned the United Nations in 2004 to have members of the autistic community recognised as a minority status group. [9] [10] Gwen Nelson and AFF have spoken out against prenatal genetic testing for autism, portraying it as a difference as opposed to a disease. [3] [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bernier, Raphael; Gerdts, Jennifer (2010). Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 82. ISBN   9781598843347.
  2. ↑ "Autistic Licence". Times Online. London. 31 December 2005. Archived from the original on 3 January 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 Saner, Emine (12 August 2007). "G2: 'It is not a disease, it is a way of life'". The Guardian. London. p. 12.
  4. ↑ Trivedi, Bijal (18 June 2005). "Autistic and proud of it". New Scientist. London. Archived from the original on 15 August 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  5. ↑ Luterman, Sara; Gurley, Lauren Kaori; Tucker, Brianna; Masih, Niha; Zickgraf, Ryan; Achenbach, Joel; Subramaniam, Shikha; Tambe, Aadit; Sachs, Andrea (14 February 2020). "Perspective | The biggest autism advocacy group is still failing too many autistic people". The Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  6. ↑ Luterman, Sara (16 August 2019). "Trouble on Sesame Street". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. ↑ Ulatowski, Rachel (9 December 2024). "The Autism Speaks Controversy, Explained". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Biever, Celeste (2 February 2008). "Dispute rages over who speaks for autistic people". New Scientist. 197 (2641): 9. doi:10.1016/S0262-4079(08)60259-6.
  9. ↑ Groner, Rachael (2012). "Sex As Spock". In McRuer, Robert; Mollow, Anna (eds.). Sex and Disability. Duke University Press. p. 279. ISBN   978-0822351542.
  10. ↑ "Declaration From the Autism Community That They Are a Minority Group" (Press release). PRWeb, Press Release Newswire. 18 November 2004. Archived from the original on 16 January 2005. Retrieved 7 November 2007.
  11. ↑ Caplan, Arthur (31 May 2005). "Would you have allowed Bill Gates to be born? Advances in prenatal genetic testing pose tough questions". NBC News. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
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