The administration made many bad choices in the past few weeks. The administration is the president and the parts of the government that he can tell what to do. The administration asked to make changes that would hurt disabled people and unhoused people. They also made policies that hurt people living in the District of...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network strongly opposes the Trump administration’s dangerous intrusion into policing in the District of Columbia. Such actions place autistic people and other people with disabilities (including our own employees) residing in the District at risk. They are particularly concerning in light of the President’s remarks regarding people with mental illness –...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Words to Know Basic needs – Things people need to stay alive and feel okay. Some examples of basic needs are food, health care, housing, and clothes. Burden – Something that makes it harder for people to get home care. Department of Labor (DOL) – The part of the government that is in charge of...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Written by Naureen Hunani for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network ⁂ Autistic individuals often have unique and deeply personal experiences with food—experiences that are frequently misunderstood or pathologized. Dominant narratives around eating are grounded in neuronormative ideals: that eating should be flexible, socially motivated, and varied. These assumptions reinforce the belief that there is a...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
This back to school season, educate yourself while empowering self-advocates with the tools they need to know their rights! Our learning sessions are community-led virtual presentations. They are taught by autistic self-advocates and community members. The topics are about advocacy, but go beyond ASAN’s usual focus. We are hosting 3 learning sessions in August and...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
In the last few weeks, the federal government has made some choices about vaccines that are not based on science or facts. You can read our statement about these choices in formal language or plain language below. These statements are also available as PDFs. The formal statement is available as a PDF here. The plain...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
On July 24, President Trump signed an executive order that calls for expanding the use of civil commitment, making it easier to institutionalize people with disabilities, and ending programs that are proven to give people the supports they need to live in the community. ASAN condemns this action by the president and calls for all...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
ASAN July Newsletter Dear friend, This Disability Pride Month has seen its fair share of losses, but it has also seen our community and many others fighting and pushing back. Read on to see what we’ve been doing and how you can join in this month. This month, Congress passed their reconciliation budget bill, enacting...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
These comments are available as a PDF here. July 30, 2025Submitted via regulations.gov Naomi Barry-Perez, DirectorCivil Rights Center (CRC), U.S. Department of Labor200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4123, Washington, DC 20210 Re: Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 1291-AA47, Rescission of Affirmative Outreach Requirements for Recipients of WIOA Title I Financial Assistance Introduction The Autistic Self Advocacy...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The Supreme Court made a bad decision this month. That decision is called the Skrmetti Decision. This decision hurts our community. We’re going to explain what the Skrmetti decision is, and why it is a problem. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest national court in the United States. It has the final say. Sometimes...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Plain language is an important part of making things accessible for disabled people. We are very worried that people are using artificial intelligence to translate text into plain language without realizing that it cannot do that work correctly. We tested multiple artificial intelligence models, and all of them made big mistakes that changed the meaning...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Written by Jada Thompson for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network ⁂ Growing up as an autistic individual, I went through a lot of hardships. I was often pushed aside, dismissed, misunderstood – I felt like an alien who had just landed on Earth. When I was in fourth grade, a kid in my class called...| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
ASAN June Newsletter Dear friend, June has been a difficult month for so many in our community. It is impossible to celebrate pride month without also grieving the harm and injustice autistic people, trans people, immigrants, and so many others in our community continue to face. Pride is a reminder…| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The post ASAN appeared first on United for Communication Choice.| United for Communication Choice
Autism is a developmental disability that affects how we experience the world around us. Autistic people are an important part of the world. Autism is a normal part of life, and makes us who we are. Autism has always existed. Autistic people are born autistic and we will be autistic…| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
ASAN intern Lydia Brown originally published this article on their blog Autistic Hoya under the title The Significance of Semantics: Person-First Language: Why It Matters. At the Adult Services Subcommittee's final meeting last Wednesday, much to do was made about semantic disagreements -- "ASD individual" versus "individual with ASD," and…| Autistic Self Advocacy Network
