I have many thoughts about the 13 year old autistic boy who was almost murdered by the cops, now in critical condition...

1. All anger toward the cops is completely justified. But I'm hearing too much "reform the police" and not enough "abolish the police"...
#ActuallyAutistic

2. I'm not seeing enough anger toward the mom. Not only was she foolish enough to call the cops ON HER OWN SON, in interviews she says she wanted the cops to physically tackle him! Fuck you, mom!

And spare me your "but raising a 'special' child is such a burden" bullshit...

I think if she was Black, she would know better than to call the cops. But also if you WANT the cops to "tackle" your son, you are a bad mother. Period!

3. I'm an autistic woman and my last meltdown was FOUR YEARS AGO. Let me explain why...

I live alone in my own apartment. I work from home, doing what I love and being paid enough for my work to live comfortably. I work for maybe 20 hours per week, with a lot of time for rest and leisure.

I have a boyfriend and friends who I see when I feel like seeing them...

Basically, I have more control over my life these days than even the average nondisabled person has.

Of course my life is pleasant now largely due to some good luck that I've had. I don't believe in "meritocracy"...

When I did have meltdowns as a child and as an adult it was because I wasn't allowed to live my life the way I wanted.

As a child it was because children aren't given the rights of adults. And as an adult it was because I was poor...

By some extraordinary miracle, my career took off by age 33. Now I'm living exactly how I want to.

Meltdowns aren't "bad behavior." They're involuntary. They can be prevented by listening to the autistic child/adult and doing what they need to make their life better...

Punishment, force, ABA, violence, THE FUCKING COPS, psychiatric institutions... They will make matters worse. So much worse.

Preventing meltdowns in autistic people requires that autistic people are treated with love, respect, and have their needs yet.

But 90% of NTs will deny.

* needs met.