NDIA Accountability Project

Submission 121 — Autistic-led Organisations Australia (ALOA) (Attachment 2) — Select Committee on Autism

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Autistic-led Organisations Australia

Recipient: Australian Federal Police, Department of Home Affairs, Victoria Police, ACT Policing, New South Wales Police Force, Queensland Police Service, Western Australian Police Force, SA Police, Australian…

Letter: Greetings,

Stop damaging public identification and profiling of Autistic individuals

Comments

| Name | Location | Date | Comment | | :— | : অনুবাদ | :— | :— | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “I am opposed to any initiative so deeply affecting the privacy, dignity and safety of the Autistic community and that was developed without any meaningful consultation with the Autistic community.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “This is a violation of my human rights. It is unjust and dangerous.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “(1) disclosure of a diagnosis is the right of the individual(2) this smacks of Nazism dresses up as “concern”. Seem to remember that similar rationales were used when Jews, homosexuals and other groups were required to public ally identify themselves.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “I am Autistic and I believe this is an awful initiative that singles out Autistics rather than encourages acceptance.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “I already have a medicalert for this information, this is an unnecessary and unethical way to take away a persons right to privacy and choice to disclose information about themselves. Treat all humans with dignity and respect and it becomes a better world for everyone.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “It is not ethical to brand human beings with a corporate logo that identifies neurological status, particularly when those who brand vulnerable people such as children, have such a deficit view of this difference (the language used in the press release was appalling!). It is also inappropriate that this project lacks significant and meaningful input from Autistic individuals. Those involved need to get with the times and collaborate with Autistic adults.” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “I don’t see any reason for singling out any group. It’s a bit like what happened to the Jewish people during Nazi rule isn’t it?!” | | redacted | redacted | redacted | “Because having Autism doesn’t mean one should be branded like a cow or like a person in Auchwitz. Because it could make an autistic person more vulnerable to abuse of all sorts. Because braclets are available for people who are severely autistic and need help in medical or emergency situations. Autism has such a wide diversity of people. People who add and have contributed so much to our world. Any developments in our world that have advanced us as a civilisation have mostly been achieved by autistic individuals. But branding a group like this and opening themUp to discrimination and potential harm? Unfathomable. And frankly irresponsible in regards to human ethics and future developments and advances our world will need to survive into the future.”

Name Location Date Comment
redacted redacted redacted “No one needs to be branded , everyone deserves to be treated equally and with respect and dignity. This is another example of society wanting the Autism community to make the privilege of neurotypical existence within it easier and Autistic people continually seen as the ‘other ‘”
redacted redacted redacted “im autistic, profiling autistics is unrealistic because we have all been thru different things”
redacted redacted redacted “Contravenes human rights.Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.”
redacted redacted redacted “This is nothing less than profiling. Please don’t proceed with this damaging, dangerous proposal.”
redacted redacted redacted “This idea has not been well thought through. Some basic consultation with the adult autistic community would have allowed the organisers to realise it should not be pursued.”
redacted redacted redacted “Nothing about us, without us!!!If you want to know what the autistic community want just ask us don’t assume you know what we need and speak/act/do on our behalf.”
redacted redacted redacted “Introducing this initiative would be harmful to people with autism, especially children on the spectrum.”
redacted redacted redacted “We need trauma informed services who can be mindful about all disabilities and trauma responses.”
redacted redacted redacted “Autism is still stigmatised and telling the whole public if someone is autistic makes them a vulnerable target. It’s a dangerous move.”
redacted redacted redacted “Autistic people deserve their privacy and equal rights just like everyone else. Stop treating them as though they had something wrong just because they are not the same as every other person. We are ALL different but we are all still PEOPLE.”
redacted redacted redacted “As an autistic person it is my right to choose how and when to disclose this. The world knows too much false information about autism to use knowledge like that responsibly. It will inevitably lead to harm for autistic people. There are prime examples of this throughout history. This is no different than the original mentality of having Jews wear Stars of David. It segregates so that people see us as “different”. Most people already think of autistic as “less than”“
redacted redacted redacted “This is an absolute violation of human rights. Decisions relating to the Autistic community should be made BY the Autistic community.”
redacted redacted redacted “It’s a dangerous idea and put the onus on autistic people instead of police. Just train police better and hold them accountable when they use lethal force when it isn’t

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Name Location Date Comment
redacted redacted redacted “necessary. There are far better ways to protect disabled people than this.”
redacted redacted redacted “This is a violation of human rights. Totally against this unjustifiable disgusting act!”
redacted redacted redacted “Bc I’m autistic Bc I can”
redacted redacted redacted “I have an autistic child and this concerns me on many levels. Autistic people face a lot of challenges in public and publicly identifying them will make them targets. Efforts would be better spent in educating people on autism, specifically first responders and educators. This screams of the star or David that Jews were forced to wear during the reign of Hitler. This will only hurt people who are autistic. Publicly labeling them is not only dangerous, but it is also a serious violation of privacy.”
redacted redacted redacted “This will never end well for autistic people.”
redacted redacted redacted “I am deeply concerned that this project has the potential to do great harm.”
redacted redacted redacted “these individuals need protection …not public recognition”
redacted redacted redacted “We shouldn’t allow anything that puts vulnerable people of any age at risk!!”
redacted redacted redacted “It’s unlikely to work the way it is intended and it’s too important to get wrong.”
redacted redacted redacted “I am on the Autism Spectrum, and I think that this sort of profiling is an invasion of privacy”
redacted redacted redacted “Seriously.. wtf”
redacted redacted redacted “Maybe we should wear armbands ???”
redacted redacted redacted “This kind of education needs to come from within the community - this education needs to be autistic-led and it clearly is not. Please treat every human with care and consideration.”
redacted redacted redacted “This is the same as wearing a yellow star”
redacted redacted redacted “I thought we learned not to suggest minority groups wear symbols after WWII… This project is totally inappropriate and offensive. Consultation with Australian autistic adults

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Name Location Date Comment
redacted redacted redacted “has not occurred, yet again leaving out the most important voices in this narrative.”
redacted redacted redacted “I’m signing because I’m autistic and I don’t agree with this project.”
redacted redacted redacted “Sounds very like a yellow star to me…gosh why would anyone think this is o.k?? Police should be autism aware regardless.”
redacted redacted redacted “Disgraceful.”
redacted redacted redacted “This is wrong. The affected community (autistic people themselves) are largely against this, yet they were not consulted. This will not help us, this will harm us. Instead of labeling a specific group of disabled people without their consent, perhaps train first responders to treat all humans with dignity and respect. There are many other types of “invisible disabilities”, mental health issues, physical health issues, etc. that someone in a crisis could be experiencing, so wouldn’t it make more sense to train first responders to take that into account? Also training to recognize and manage internal biases and stigmas (racism, etc.) so that they can serve all communities justly.”
redacted redacted redacted “I won’t let my child feel like he’s different for everyone to see. There needs to be police training by autistic people that can explain as they live with it everyday and everyone is different on the spectrum.”
redacted redacted redacted “This will stigmatise people with autism and do nothing to educate others about autism. It will mean that, as a society, we will not move on from outdated views of autism and Neurodiversity.”
redacted redacted redacted “I am signing because the powers that be MUST listen to autistic voices. Please, please, PLEASE consult with, listen to and implement the solutions that #ActuallyAutistic people are suggesting. Please.”
redacted redacted redacted “My son is quite capable of telling people he is autistic if he feels safe to do so. It is alarming people would suggest this without consulring the very people it effects!”
redacted redacted redacted “I am signing because this idea seems more like the Nazi Jude Star and much less like emergency medical aid bracelet.”
redacted redacted redacted “Our rights are slowly bring eroded”
redacted redacted redacted “autistic adults have not been consulted. Branding people without consulting them is beyond undemocratic it’s quite a chilling step.”
Name Location Date Comment
“Would you like to be branded?! No.”
“This will put autistic people at greater risk & will ultimately not be helpful to Police. Please abandon this program”
“I like everyone to be accepted equally”
“The thought of being identified for our autism terrifies me. The abuse, neglect and general misuse of such an identification symbol leaves the mind mortified. It’s bad enough out there without identifying us for predators and people willing to exploit us.”
“Neurodivergency support should be informed by Neurodivergent specialists, not the neurotypical!”
“I am Autistic and, this is wrong. Consult with the Autistic Community. This should not be run by non-Autistics at all!!! No one should have to disclose their neurology. That should be optional. Police need to be taught how to interact with Autistic people and what meltdowns look like and how to deal with Autistics in meltdown!!!”
redacted
“No one should be forced to disclose. Autistic adults have not been consulted. This is ethically questionable.”
“As an ally of Autistic people, I’m keen to amplify their voices of protest for this clearly inappropriate and dangerous initiative. Please, please, please consult Autistic people regarding effective training to improve interactions with police.”
“Privacy exists for a reason, no matter who you are or what problems you suffer.”
“Although I know very little about autism, I do believe that tagging people is the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian states like Nazi Germany where Jews were forced to wear the Star of David on their shoulders.”
“I’m tired of people making money and a name off Autistic people. This whole concept is dangerous. It is promoted by a group whose aim is prevention and cure of Autism. They don’t care about safety. They are about advertising and their brand.”
“Actually Autistic people are under diagnosed, not included in any of the consulting or decision making around this concept, and branding neurodivergent individuals will
Name Location Date Comment
not substitute for education and training of those putting autistics at risk.“
“Akin to sewing a Star of David onto the sleeves of the Jewish people.”
“As a parent of an Autistic child, I feel this is invasive and will lead to further discrimination and inequality and leave him open to unscrupulous behaviour towards him. There is no way on earth I would register him.”
“I am in agreement with this protest against Project Eleos”
“This is a dangerous breach of privacy and dignity.”
“Ableist, stereotyping, fear mongering. Marginalization instead of inclusivity. Shifting responsibility away from proper training.”
“Too easy for abusers to target autistic people”
“This concept is not only ill conceived but also dangerous. A parent on a PR mission to corporately brand and stigmatise Autistics. Who will they come after next?”
“This is an ill-conceived attempt by an organisation to own and brand autism in order to sell widgets. It is dangerous, can identify children to potential abusers, and the organisation has not consulted the autistic community in its development.”
“On behalf of my beautiful autistic children who are too young to sign. Thank you to the autistic adults who guide us parents with their wisdom”
“God made each and every person unique and we therefore owe each person respect and understanding”
“While I understand that the intentions behind this talisman were probably good, I can’t help but think of the quote, “the road to hell is paved in good intentions.” Whether it was meant to be for good or not it’s irrelevant. What matters is the great potential for harm and the complete disregard for autistic-led decisions regarding autistic people. This program needs to be shut down immediately and certainly not rolled out for first responders, etc. who, like the broader community, already have problematic at best and traumatising at worst, views on and approaches to “dealing with” Autistic people.“
“This is an affront to human decency.”
Name Location Date Comment
“As an Autistic Person myself, I couldn’t agree more with what’s to to said about the Wrong Way for such people to be treated.”
“A very dangerous project….”
“.”
“Nobody should be made to wear a symbol as identification; not the Star of David, not this”
“I am an adult with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (formerly known as Asperger’s syndrome) and we are people, not puzzles.”
“Enough with the labels! Let people just be themselves and offer support IF they desire it instead of forcing things on them. This is just yet more discrimination.”
“This would be putting a target on vulnerable members of the community. NOT OK!!”
“Public labeling of a disability is wrong and against the individual’s privacy!”
“I do not want to wear a label. I will share the details of my Autism on my own terms. Making decisions like these without informing Autistic adults is a disgrace. Nothing about us without us.”
“It’s a breach of human rights . Who else is required to have this public label?”
“Please don’t take an organisation’s logo and slap it on children. Please don’t make decisions for a community without direction form that community. Please don’t take away a person’t right to choose who they disclose their identity and neurotype to.Please don’t decide that an organisation, or government, should reduce a person to a symbol, and then publicly display that symbol.”
“My child would be extremely upset if they had to wear a talisman that identified them as being autistic. They don’t want to be publicly identified and then treated differently.”
“I’m a mom of two autistic children, the oldest is 28. Autistic people are human beings. They should choose their own symbols. Other people just need to stop being judgmental dicks. If your autistic child is in distress, you don’t owe anyone else an explanation. You do you, let your child do them. People who are jerks to a child melting down aren’t going to suddenly not be jerks because they see a symbol. Teach schools and law enforcement not to abuse or neglect autistic people. Symbols are meaningless if they don’t know what they’re doing. Let your child define themselves. The
Name Location Date Comment
end of injustice and abuse against autistic people begins with patents recognizing and not denying personhood to our autistic children. Then advocating fiercely for their personhood, then stepping back so they can self-advocate. This is THEIR movement; we’re allies. We need to listen, and follow. That’s all.“
“They are vulnerable members of the community.”
“I have the right not to tell someone about my autism.”
“No other group is branded in this discriminatory manner, especially by a group that purports to support and help. I’m frankly horrified. How about you replace your “Autistic brand” with increased community education and acceptance, so first responders are able to better assist ALL neurodiverse individuals.“
“My 11 yr autistic son is so offended and upset by this proposal . Among the many things he said against this , he said he is so much more than just Autistic and to just label him as that is wrong .”
“People with autism have the right to choose for themselves if they disclose their autism. Noone has the right to take that choice away from them.”
“No one shld be labelled”
“People with ASD just need a little support, not to be identified and vilified by a public that largely has no idea what asd is and no interest in learning”
“Disclosure is an option to the individual and caregivers, if under 18. Flagging in any form, does not allow for freedom from judgements and therefore equity. It is a requirement for equity. I have no wish to see in this world people having to be treated differently by others because of being neurodivergent. On so many levels it is wrong - we are not animals (eg wildlife) to be tagged for ease of others at our cost. An example of how a systemic approach has learnt to change away from this is- for example in a school in early childhood setting and beyond neurodivergent children were made to wear ribbons on their clothes and or hats . It was said thr they could be spotted from a distance and observed for their wellbeing and assisted. However it ostracised them to their detriment , and was proven that even at an early age peers would treat them differently - most to a negative and it hinders the development of the child in society. It is now made law that any child in school setting has equity and”
“It is literally something out of Auschwitz where Jews were identified by having a star on them. Its redacted disgusting”