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Thoughts on the pros and Cons of the passport / id schemes

magvi

With no disrespect to anyone

Do other people find they are not able to make use of all these prototypes of passport / ID schemes  . Or found they have been further targeted and had the information thats on them used against them or then limited further in life because people then only expect you to perform to what seems like a take away menu of negative traits that many of us do not even do. ? 

The first prototype used the words “This young person has been diagnosed” Not much use when you are over 30 and trying your hardest to get away from people assuming you are making things up or stuck in childhood, or that you took some kids pass.

 

The 2nd prototype used wording suggesting that I be excused from poor / difficult behaviour issues, when I do not exibit any of these. These phrases are an open invitation for ignorant prejudice opportunists who cause spectrum people barriers to use that as evidence against them e.g “See she is being difficult the card says that is what they do”.

 

 

In theory the idea  of an explanation pass is good but only if its pushed to a national validated scheme that issues something on plastic officially, in the form of a real photo card/ id which can only be obtained with some form of valid supporting application. This should come in a variety of formats to cover different kinds of spectrum issues rather than focus on the stereoptype one size suits all.

 

Something that reminds society it’s an offence to treat us with discrimination and outlining the main ways they misconstrue us not the other way around. The more we are labled as people who get everything wrong the more limited we become because that is all that is expected of us and I do not want a pass that writes me off in this fashion.

  The other reason I would find a pass useful is so that I am spared having to constantly prove at length and reprove my status all the time, and then have to outline other health conditions in detail to lay people, just to satisfy other people’s contempt disbelief ignorance.  This is the most debilitating degrading act to have to perform on a regular basis, no other disability group have to go through as much cross examinations over their disabled status as we seem to and yet we are the ones with a communicative disorder. 

 

 

Perpetrators who cause us already so much abuse, bullying, disbelief and injustice just use these take away menu's of negative traits, against us as a way to further gaslight us. Also they are always seemingly based on a narrow % of people not the whole rainbow, not to mention the divide between males and females. 

 

Abusive  perpetrators recite these things  “Ok hand flapper , are you about to have an episode better call someone so you can take your medication  Oh its time for her meltdown, was a bit too much information for her, no I didn’t abuse her she misunderstands peoples intentions gets things wrong”

 

 

There is a whole list of the things I do not respond well to, when I have to engage with society and its ignorance. Often I would rather hand a bullet point list of these issues over,in the hope that society make the adjustments to their behaviour when interacting with us.

 

For the record in response to example taunting comments above

( I am not actually on any psychiatric medication) I have no prejudice to those that are, but no pass should assume everyone is because society takes that as one meaning only.

 ( I can actually multi task and take in vast amounts of information)

I am none of the things trollers and bullies assume because they read lists even official places and services do the same, "YOU need to be more flexible, when looking for a more suitable flat"

Yes because if i was more flexible then i wouldnt notice the new damp moldy flat in a state of disrepair"

 

So in summary I repeat.

 I am fed up and sick of being represented as someone else, doing someone elses behaviours for someone elses reasons. The effect is that I am then being perceived by someone elses misunderstanding to only ever engage in the traits on that list. Aren't we all trying to get away from being misconstrued, misdiagnosed, and misguided?  Yes I would like a bit of plastic to spare me the above. 

  • I hear what both of you are saying and agree, Longman and Intense world

    The eye contact / body language making that first attempt to communicate always seems to miss the headlines. As you say we are not all CLONES of the same thing so that should be celebrated but represented

    I hope i have not put you off Intense World, I was hoping only to spare others what I have experienced or know happens, in the hope it saves someone else going through the same trauma, or derailing, especially if they are younger. I think even if people do do all the behaviours there are still other ways to communicate this to society. Its nice to find others who are alike, in the hope to build bridges and better forms of lists

  • longman said:
    I know, besides my own experiences, from interviewing others when I was advising students 'on the spectrum' I often found it best to sit so as to avoid direct face to face, so it was enabled by a voluntary turn of the head. Many people are calmer when not confronted head on. But its nowhere in this passport.

    That's so true Longman.  I absolutely hate that every meeting you attend has a confrontational set-up with you directly opposite a barrage of people.  The stress it causes me is enormous.  I think this contributes enormously to me struggling to process verbal information too, I misunderstand things and miss out vital things.

  • I've seen one of these passports recently produced, the one jointly sponsored by NAS and the Clothworker's Foundation.

    It is good in that it recognises that autism manifestations are very widely variable.

    But that means that people consulting the passports have to read long lists, and may not understand the necessity. Particularly as this list includes things people may incline to interpret as commonplace - eg related to shyness, social phobia.

    Many people's reactions to these lists may not be as sympathetic as we would wish, particularly as the passport doesn't explain about the diversity of symptoms and why the detail is necessary.

    Also I don't think the lists are adequate. Take for example "How I like to communicate" - "face to face conversation" implies eye contact. There's nothing here about having difficulty with eye contact.

    I know, besides my own experiences, from interviewing others when I was advising students 'on the spectrum' I often found it best to sit so as to avoid direct face to face, so it was enabled by a voluntary turn of the head. Many people are calmer when not confronted head on. But its nowhere in this passport.

    It isn't just about reading body language, or "social nuances" (is there a glossary to go with this leaflet?), it is also about GENERATING the correct body language, facial expressions and vocal inflexions for others to read. Many people with autism have a blank or sad facial expression, or don't manage the right facial expression for the conversation they are attempting, or convey the wrong attitude, or appear rude. Where's that in the passport?

    Also proximity - both physical presence and from issues like smell, causes a lot of distress. And one of the really big issues, common in police stations and other official environment, several burly aggressive figures surrounding someone with autism and demanding answers doesn't help - no sign of it in this passport.

    The fact the passport needs long lists is a weakness. Not least because the need for long lists has meant some over-simplification to stop it being even longer.

    And if just the professionals had bothered to take this disability seriously.........

  • The sad irony of the blind dog mess (which I had no idea about) being left, is that toxicara, that is found in dog faeces can cause blindness to people that come in contact with it.   I suppose those would be other dog owners who's toxicara-free pets came into contact, a young child touching it, a pushchair-owning mother who's wheels went through it and she touched it whilst folding her pushchair etc.

  • Trouble is with most disabilities there are things about that disability that could be communicated to others with a pass. 

    Blind people for example have varying degrees of sensory deprivation, and some have been blind from birth while others blind later in life. Some blind people also have some degree of autism. 

    One of the intriguing issues are concessions to blind people that the public don't understand. For example if a blind dog fouls the pavement they don't have to clear it up (though I know several blind people that try to do so). I've often seen people having a go at a blind person who didn't clean it up (like if you could see the dog mess would you need a blind dog in the first place!).

    The trouble is it is being suggested we carry these so as to convey why we have difficulty.

    But really that's because thirty to forty years on there is still too little known about day to day living with autism. Professionals know little, and are dismissive of many of the day to day problems. And it is not helped by the "spectrum" theory that propogates the idea that as a lot of it is in the general population, people diagnosed as high functioning, mild or able are being castigated by professionals as being weak willed, not trying hard enough, not using common sense etc.

    It really is an indignity to have to carry a document that explains the difficulties. To an uncaring and ignorant society, but an even more uncaring and ignorant band of professionals supposedly being there to help us.

    And then there are those eight on-line autism awareness projects, that the Government funded "to the tune of" £500,000 several years ago. Most of them are only available to the members of the professional bodies that got the funds!  Some were existing awareness materials and the money went elsewhere. Some can be bought for varying prices. And some are worse than useless.

    These awareness packs were supposed to improve professionals' understanding of autism. They were supposed to do a large part of the job of these passports. If the professionals showed a more professional attitude we wouldn't need the passports!

  • You make some good points.

    It's made me think about it.  I did complete one of those things, but haven't used it yet.  I am now questioning whether I will.  There are a lot of nasty people out there and they would love an excuse to criticise and blame ASC for anything and use it to get themselves off the hook.  You are right, they are a list of negatively viewed behaviours, and I think stating the law on a card or something would be much better.

    I applaud you for pointing this out and widening my view on this.