Aspergian Pride

When Aspergian college student Heather Kuzmich auditioned for the America’s Next Top Model reality show, although she sometimes lacked confidence in her ability to succeed, she persevered because she saw her appearance on the show as an opportunity to demonstrate that she wouldn’t let herself be limited by stereotypes and arbitrary barriers. As Heather told reporters afterward:

“I was hoping to be a role model to girls who really weren’t told they were beautiful at first and do have a little bit more problems than the girls who do have confidence and really do want to do modeling.”

While on the show, Heather received a great deal of public attention and became a fan favorite. She was praised for taking some of the best photos, and she hopes to have more opportunities in modeling. She now feels more confident about herself and believes that she succeeded in inspiring others to pursue their goals, as well.

Self-advocate Ari Ne’eman, who is studying political science and economics at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County as a Sondheim Scholar of Public Affairs, has put together an impressive list of accomplishments in the political realm even before receiving his university degree. He is the founder and president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization that works to improve society’s perception of autistic citizens while also providing social and support services for adults and youth on the autism spectrum.

Ari serves as the Policy Workgroup Leader for the Youth Advisory Council to the National Council on Disability and as the Public Policy Chair for the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education. He is also a member of the Steering Committee of the New Jersey Olmstead Implementation and Planning Advisory Council (a policy group that deals with de-institutionalization issues).

Recently, Ari has taken the lead in coordinating an effort by numerous disability rights organizations to urge New York University’s Child Study Center to withdraw an offensive advertising campaign entitled “Ransom Notes,” which stigmatizes autistic children and others with disabilities by portraying them as hopeless and tragic kidnap victims. (To find out how you can help stop these ads by writing to the people responsible for them and by signing a petition, please take a look at Ari’s joint letter, which I posted on Aspergian Pride’s forum.)

Update, December 19, 2007: The offensive ads have been withdrawn, chiefly in response to Ari’s efforts to unite the disability community in demanding their removal. Thanks Ari for your great work!

Canadian researcher Michelle Dawson, who studies autism at the University of Montreal and is herself autistic, was recently interviewed regarding her efforts to improve ethical standards for autism-related science and advocacy. Her studies focus on cognitive science and neuroscience. She is an author of several papers published in professional journals. On the importance of accuracy in autism research, she says:

“The point is not for you to be right and for your side to be right; the point is to try to do the best you can to understand autism and to make it possible for autistics to have good outcomes. To do that you need accurate information.

“Accurate information is always good for autistic people. It might not be good for advocates, it might not be good for lawyers, it might not be good for lobby groups, it might not be good for various vested interests, it might not even be good for researchers, it might not be good for funding bodies, but it is always good for autistic people.”

Let’s hope more people will pay attention to these words of wisdom!