How to Advocate Against ABA Therapy Without Losing Your Mind
A video response to a young advocate's email.
Hello! I received a lovely email this morning from a young Autistic self-advocate who wanted to know how they could use their own life story to shed light on the abuses of Applied Behavioral Analysis to the public, without incurring additional psychological trauma. I was moved by the question, which echoes so many of the messages that I get from young Autistic people who are looking to make a political impact, and it really touches on tensions that I live out every day in my own work. So I decided to record a video response:
Here are the questions that I explore in this video:
Advocacy and self advocacy in general can be wrought with conflict. I’ve been in this space almost two decades but still find a lot of discomfort in conflict. Unfortunately that’s also part of it. Coming to terms with being disliked, having the unpopular opinion, being on the outside, often fighting battles where you know you’re right but things don’t go as you want. It takes a lot to continue. I wish I knew a lot of this when I was in my 20s starting my disability advocacy work. I equated “I will die on this hill” thinking with progress that often did not eventuate. I lost more than a I won. But in the end collectively we did see attitudes start to shift. You have to be ok with slow progress. Burn out is the constant looming enemy just as oppressive as the systems you’re fighting so yes, absolutely as you say Devon, prioritise your own right to care, and protect your own wellbeing as staunchly as those you advocate for. And yes community, manaakitanga, that care for others and collective power will always work for you in positive ways if you can find/build it.