Autistics Should...
When pro-autistic Facebook site Autistic Union (Âû) pointed out some chilling Google search autocomplete options, autistic blogger, Alyssa of "Yes, That Too" suggested a flash blog, and promptly started two new blog sites to support the contributors. A flash blog, like a flash mob, is when a group of people come together suddenly to perform some task (blog). In the case of this flash blog, it is dozens of bloggers (autistics and allies), publishing searchable blogs with "Autistics should" (2/23) or "Autistics are" as keywords or titles to bury the results currently being displayed under an avalanche of new, more positive data. When you type "Autistics should" or "Autistics are" in a simple Google search, the results are currently: 
As a the father of an autistic daughter, that's certainly not the pick list I'd choose when searching Google for information about autism. So Alyssa and some fellow bloggers decided to post "Austistics Should" posts with some topics that are more positive, and I might add, more informed. Who better to turn to regarding what "austics should" do than autistic people and their allies? Who better to define who "autistics are"? Both sites are still accepting posts. Although the "Autistics Should" main event is over, you can still submit a post to add to its "postroll". "Autistics Are" is scheduled for March 2nd. If you want to participate to the positivity, you can message "Yes, That Too" on facebook, or comment on the postroll of the relevant blog (see links below). If you wish to be reprinted, or if you want to be linked with a quote, you'll need to specify with Alyssa (at the above-referenced Facebook page) when you send your message. Otherwise, they just get linked in the postroll. Postroll for Austistics Should Postroll for Austistics Are I encourage any autistic person or person who loves an autistic person to participate, not just by blogging your own topics, but by searching for positive results: "Autistics should enjoy", "autistics should be respected", "autistics should be happy", "autistics should participate"...any positive search you can think of that might skew Google's search suggestions to more positive assumptions. Update: Some friends asked what they could do to join the flash blog. The phrasing they used (as parents) was "Autistic kids should" and I made ready to argue that ...nono, it's not search results for autistic kids, it's the search results for "autistics". And in the process of preparing my argument, found that I was wrong. Typing "autistic kids should" or "autistic kids are" returns equally horrific autocomplete suggestions. The search results are the same.
As a the father of an autistic daughter, that's certainly not the pick list I'd choose when searching Google for information about autism. So Alyssa and some fellow bloggers decided to post "Austistics Should" posts with some topics that are more positive, and I might add, more informed. Who better to turn to regarding what "austics should" do than autistic people and their allies? Who better to define who "autistics are"? Both sites are still accepting posts. Although the "Autistics Should" main event is over, you can still submit a post to add to its "postroll". "Autistics Are" is scheduled for March 2nd. If you want to participate to the positivity, you can message "Yes, That Too" on facebook, or comment on the postroll of the relevant blog (see links below). If you wish to be reprinted, or if you want to be linked with a quote, you'll need to specify with Alyssa (at the above-referenced Facebook page) when you send your message. Otherwise, they just get linked in the postroll. Postroll for Austistics Should Postroll for Austistics Are I encourage any autistic person or person who loves an autistic person to participate, not just by blogging your own topics, but by searching for positive results: "Autistics should enjoy", "autistics should be respected", "autistics should be happy", "autistics should participate"...any positive search you can think of that might skew Google's search suggestions to more positive assumptions. Update: Some friends asked what they could do to join the flash blog. The phrasing they used (as parents) was "Autistic kids should" and I made ready to argue that ...nono, it's not search results for autistic kids, it's the search results for "autistics". And in the process of preparing my argument, found that I was wrong. Typing "autistic kids should" or "autistic kids are" returns equally horrific autocomplete suggestions. The search results are the same.
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