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We are delighted to welcome @SheffieldLuke to CRAE for our 2020 virtual #CRAELecture! Luke's talk is on Autopia (Autistic Utopia)...
To start, CRAE Director @annaremington discusses the incredible response to this #CRAELecture, a testament to @SheffieldLuke - who has been working for decades in the autism field, and is currently a Senior Lecturer at @sheffhallamuni
TW: @SheffieldLuke starts with a trigger warning for the #CRAELecture, as his hypothesis is that there is a pervasive bias against autistic people that is, in effect, destroying autistic lives. People do not view autism in the way they should.
Autopia is @SheffieldLuke's vision of a way to make life better for autistic people; so as not to view them as lesser human beings. Encouragingly, however, Luke says we CAN change this. #CRAELecture
How it stands: "If you've met one individual with autism, you've met one individual with autism"... @SheffieldLuke asks why we need to be reminded, to this day, that autistic people are individual people?! #CRAELecture
Luke adds that all mainstream autism theories are medical/deficit-based; NICE guidelines emphasise the need for 'treatments' and suggests autism is not a 'healthy state of being'. #CRAELecture
@SheffieldLuke emphasises that there is nothing wrong with being autistic - it may bring challenges - but there is nothing inherently wrong with being autistic. The narrative around autism is, however, "a disgrace" #CRAELecture
Currently, we in society are getting it wrong for autistic people (e.g., autistic people can't empathise - just not true!). So, what about Autopia? When autism becomes an identity, rather than a medical, diagnostic label #CRAELecture
Autopia recognises the importance of self-identification: @SheffieldLuke argue that this is as valid as a diagnosis from a medical professional #CRAELecture
@SheffieldLuke's golden rule of Autopia: autism + environment = outcome. #CRAELecture
We can make autistic kids do lots of things, but @SheffieldLuke asks us to consider 'what's the point?' Needs to be to the benefit of the child, rather than everyone else. #CRAELecture
What does Autopia's education system look like? @SheffieldLuke suggests we need things like more autistic teachers, more block learning opportunities, school bell/uniform abolished - learning needs to be more accessible! #CRAELecture
Importantly, Autopia's educational vision doesn't need loads of money and resources - just more imagination and creativity #CRAELecture
@SheffieldLuke says Autopia puts wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. Educators should ask: if I'm doing anything that relates to supporting an autistic child, is it based on the wellbeing of that child? #CRAELecture
Now @SheffieldLuke moves onto employment. Why do we interview people? It doesn't often work! It demonstrates your skills at being interviewed - not your skills at doing that job. #CRAELecture
Autopia's communication system: We need to move away from the fascination with language and speech, more towards communication (not around the neurotypical norm though!). #CRAELecture
Research needs to change in Autopia! It needs to be geared around community priorities (as noted by research from the CRAE team, led by our former Director @liz_pellicano: https://bit.ly/36A01Ei ) #CRAELecture
Wow! What a #CRAELecture. Thank you so much @SheffieldLuke
