WHERE ARE YOU?

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Artpornblog is holding a poetry night at “The Ace Hotel”, in order to raise support and awareness for Aspergers and Autism. I have been searching for a charity which I could raise some money for and donate to, but I am struggling to find one which doesn’t perpetuate the stereotypes and stigma linked to being “disordered” or somehow “treatable”, like I have a “condition”.

This is a problem I have come across for many years with charities, institutions and help schemes alike, whom I believe have all the best intentions, yet when I’m looking for help, researching, reading or tapping into these services, I feel like I’m somehow really sick; much sicker than I really am and am not finding the solutions or help which I have found in small chunks from more unlikely commercial or free life sources, (nightclubs and nature).

So I’ve written a Wishlist of how my dream charity may look/feel/be. I hope it is a kind critique and multiversal ask which may exist or otherwise one day come into fruition, either from myself or somewhere/someone else.

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MY DREAM (ASPERGERS (insert “said disorder” here)) CHARITY:

• Would Listen Fully without Judgement/Labels.
• Would be run by (Aspergers) people for (Aspergers) people.
• Would not patronise, set or act upon a perceived social hierarchy.
• Would not consider me “disordered” or having a “condition” that can be “treated”.
• It would instead consider me a human “mirror” to the society we are supposed to be amongst but are so often tossed to the side of or medicated out of sight because we are “disordered”, (my order is fine thank-you)!
• It would empower us to aim for TRUE equality and respectful treatment within society and consider our needs as much as it currently considers it’s own without deeming our needs as “special” or needing “extra” attention, and then feeling like it doesn’t have to care because of those reasons. We are not “special and different”, we are just NOT the same as the majority. And we ARE worth as much as everything else in this multiverse; and yes in order to reach the treatment which represents this worth, social change and time and extended levels of care may need to be implemented to restore this balance.
• Would not be based around “The idealistic conservative white British family model”, prioritising “mothers” and “children”!! It would consider EVERYONE’s relationship structure as much as it considers the normative majority ideal. It would help all people whom seek it! It would publish literature which is relatable for all of these people!! It would be useful and desirable to those seeking help. It could even help those who do not “suffer” from said “condition” but could benefit from the knowledge of these peoples struggle in achieving equality in a currently oppressive social/economic structural climate.
• It would not gender, racialize, ageify, sexify, religisize, creedilize, economi, classitize.
• It would, however, consider all of these labels which society boxes people in when analysing a “sufferers”, place and struggle in attempting to assimilate themselves into a normative society, and then instead of “treating” sufferers, this is the point in which it could use the experience of such people to adjust and deconstruct currently damaging and non-love based, obstructive parts and behaviours within the societal norm and work to rebuild them with this new experience and knowledge which it has fully listened, understood and engaged with.
• Would encourage creative practice and social change!
• It would not, look/sound/smell like a charity! It would feel as accessible and relatable as McDonalds, Tesco, Sony, Costa, Wholefoods, Poundland, Paks, The Corner Shop, The Nail Bar, anywhere which you would gladly walk into without stigma and receive a service, therapy, catharsis and needs meeting. (Take note on how “Dean Street Express” has been so successful in this light).
• It would build light, It would not cast shadows.
• It would be supported by a caring government which works for the most people possible, based on love, not destruction and oppression and capitalism, whom treat people as members of a society instead of minions in it’s global corporation.
• It would listen.

 

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Now I understand I am projecting a personal ideal.  I am truly grateful for the work of current charities and support organisations, but I am 24, queer, high-functioning aspergers, am of a white middle class background and live in a so called civilised 1st world country, yet still struggle daily to be understood, treated with as much worth as others and find my route in life to be independent financially and to turn my mental contributions into a useful reality which can benefit myself and others.

I guess this article is my start…

So please Multiverse, what can we do? Who is out there? Is this already being done? How can I be aware of such work?

Let’s do it!

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Asked for and written by Ted Rogers “Artpornblog”

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