Intersection of Autism and Race
In Morenike Giwa- Onaiwu’s Autistics of Color: We exist We Matter someone asked her the question, “Autism is Autism right? Does race really matter?” Her argument was that the impression was becoming seemingly apparent that disability, in particular Autism, was overlooked and seen as a collective experience, not interested with the intersection of race, gender, or sexuality. Furthermore that the discussion of race as it pertains to autism is silenced. It is of great importance that we are to examine the lives affected by both the impact of race and disability matters. Moreover, when one is asked to “simplify” themselves or experiences it is an attempt to invalidate one’s identity and voice.
I’d like to start by breaking down the frequent statement that was made by Giwa-Onaiwu’s friends, colleagues, neighbors and people who care about her have asked, “Autism is Autism right? Does race really matter?” (Giwa-Onaiwu x). First Autism is not just Autism, there is a spectrum. As John Sinclair stated in “Don’t Mourn For Us”, “Autism is a way of being. It is pervasive; as it colors every experience, every sensation, perception, thought, emotion, and encounter, every aspect of existence”. Which speaks to the notion that the Autism spectrum has a broad set of experiences, that each individual experiences differently. With this being said it is best to ask someone, how he/she prefers to be addressed, as Autistic people are capable of communicating and understanding. As DJ Savarese mentions in his piece “Communicate with me” where he describes his subjective experience with Autism and how people can freely talk to him. It is also important to see Autistic people as whole, with an identity, and not disconnecting their identity from themselves. As Autism is commonly believed to be a disease in which, if it were to be reversable a person would then be a different, “normal” person. As John Sinclair writes, Autism is not a “shell” that a person is trapped inside and there is no “normal” person hidden behind Autism. To rid someone of disability is ultimately a way to dehumanize, erase, and diminish that individual.
To further break down the statement, “Autism is Autism right? Does race really matter?” Not everyone’s experiences as it pertains to race is the same. As Onaiwu’ spoke about her experience from childhood,
“I remember helplessly trying to explain to my biracial cousin why I didn’t ‘have it easier’ than her merely because I was monoracial … Her assumption was that I was ‘luckier’ than her because I looked ‘black’… because I ‘looked apart’. I was supposed to automatically understand and be fluent in all these random aspects of life attributed to black American culture” (Giwa-Onaiwu xiv).
As Giwa-Onaiwu suggested the particular contention with how a person is viewed within a particular minority. Also, how her white counterparts would deem her credible to know every aspect of African American culture even though she did not and was, but in the African American community she was considered “not black enough” because of her speech and mannerisms. Employing that she was supposed to inherently eat a certain way, dress a certain way, and act a certain way in order to be seen as black. When the real reality is, there is no singular way to be any race and experiences are different from individual to individual.
In addition, she is also Autistic, as she felt there was no place of belonging, others understanding her, or accepting her. It was as she said, she was in a minority group within a minority group within a minority group. Explaining that her experience with her race and disability was just another barrier for her to find her place in society. Which is why the intersect of Autism and race have everything to do with one another.
It is an ableist view of disability to think that disability is no way intertwined with race, furthermore as Giwa-Onaiwu explained it is an obscure reality of their own intrinsic privilege with regard to race and ability (Gina-Onaiwu xi). That once an individual ignores those factors you are then not focusing on the subtitle differences that a person faces within a minority group, within a minority group, within a minority group. As Onaiwu stated, “We –those of us who exist at the intersection of disability and race aren’t treated as if we are real” (Gina-Onaiwu xii). She explains that the factors that affect those who are at the intersection of race and disability are paid little concern to. It is a grave injustice to separate the very aspects of someones lived experiences, while one can experience them simultaneously.
As E. Ashkenazy offers ways to address these issues and bring them to the forefront she offers the most valuable source of advice to “Listen to and welcome the stories and insights that autistic people of color have to share with us” (Ashkenazy xxxviii). Because not all Autistics share the same shared experiences and nor do people of color. Because in this way, it is a way to shed light on culture, home lives, family, and the lived experiences of who people are at the intersection of disability and race and not base broad and ignorant assumptions on others. In addition, as Ashkenazy emphasizes it is our social responsibility to ask people how they identify, instead of assuming and getting to know people instead of clumping them into one category (Ashkenazy xxxix). It is being able to slow down and think about the stereotypes and misunderstanding that we are perpetuating, because it can lead to insightful and meaningful conversation embracing the mixed and intricacies of autistic people of color.
Works Cited
Brown, Lydia X. Z., and Morénike Giwa-Onaiwu. “Autistics of Color: We Exist…We Matter.” All the Weight of Our Dreams: on Living Racialized Autism, DragonBee Press, 2017, pp. X-xxii.
Sinclair, Jim. “Don’t Mourn for Us..” Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies [Online], 1.1 (2012): n. pag. Web. 2 May. 2019
Savarese, DJ. “Communicate with Me.” Disability Studies Quarterly, 2010, dsq-sds.org/article/view/1051/1237.
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I Pledge, on my honor.
