Published on 12, July, 2020
Firstly: As the (annoying) commentry indicates we don't know all the facts here.
Secondly: It's a "zero hedge" article featuring PJW, so will be utter anathema to some people.
Thirdly: It's morbidly interesting, and somewhat thought provoking.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/arrested-saying-lesbian
I’ve heard about this case and regardless of autism awareness training, it’s a clear case of many people within societal attitudes and perceptions simply refusing to understand what it’s like to be autistic and instead going off of preconceived notions and myths about autism - there is still attitudes out there that are only too ready and willing to believe horrible things about autistic people and regard (and label) autistic people with horrible names, they believe that because autistic people are deemed (by them) to not have the required levels of “cop on” and common sense, that they should be permitted to do anything on thier own nor live alone without a “minder” and aside from a “cure” for autism, they believe that the only way to “manage” autism is by means of ultra strict discipline because they deem that the person with autism “does not understand that they are “wrong” by default” and need “careful management”
And it is this minority of people who simply do not want to understand, and perhaps the slightly lazy ones who do not feel they have the time to understand, Who need to be metaphorically beaten around the head with a copy of the equality act.
people worked really hard to make sure that disability was included in that act, to make sure that autism could be a valid excuse under law for all sorts of slights and social faux pas that autistic people might be punished for.
this legislation was intended to protect us and we should not be shy about using it or making a huge fuss when it’s ignored.
It really does come down to those in positions of Athority maintaining acceptable standards of behaviour and properly enforcing those standards, making people take responsibility for their failure to reach those standards by thier behaviour and sanctions put in place, the severity of the punishments reflecting the gravity and seriousness of the offence committed
I mentioned this also as a gay man because I know from experience not only of police officers who are not only homophobic they are also ableist
And importantly remembering that those standards apply differently to autistic people. That’s a very unpopular view but it is actually the way the law works as I understand it. You can’t apply a one size fits all approach to these things you have to take the specific differences in the way autistic people interact with the world into account.