The Director of Advocacy at the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Zoe Gross, shares her thoughts on ABA therapy and what it takes to be a self-advocate. This episode also features the writing of non-speaking autists, Ido Kedar and Niko Boskovic, and formerly non-speaking, Jay Jay Mudridge. We discuss the controversy surrounding the Judge Rotenberg Center and ABAI and what families and caregivers can do to truly support their autistic loved ones. In 2012, Zoe created the annual Disability Day of Mourning vigil, a national, cross-disability event commemorating the lives of disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers. She received a White House Champions of Change award for this work in 2013.
As a content warning: This podcast episode includes conversations about torture, murder, and sexual assault.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network: https://autisticadvocacy.org/
Ariana Cernius’ article: https://fortune.com/2022/05/13/autistic-community-reckoning-aba-therapy-rights-autism-insurance-private-equity-ariana-cernius/
Thoughts from several nonspeaking autists: https://autisticstrategies.net/nonspeaking-autistics-against-aba/
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