Type 5: Stigma by Association
Stigma by Association occurs when the effects of stigma are extended to someone linked to a person with autism. This can also be known as "courtesy stigma," "affiliate stigma," and "associative stigma." This form of stigma can affect anyone around the autistic person: parents, friends, siblings, even significant others and spouses. It has been noted to be a problem many parts of the world, including China and India as well as in the United States.
This stigma is most often seen in the isolating effect on a family with one or more autistic individuals. The autistic person, perhaps a small child, but even an older dependent, is seen as a burden or even a danger. As a result, the family is not invited to social gatherings, the parents are perhaps told to "control their child," and members of the family may even be shunned in school, at work, or at the grocery store.
It's as if being related to an autistic person somehow makes the family (or other individuals) irrevokably different and other. This is, of course, utter nonsense. Just as an autistic person, having received their diagnosis, is no different than they were before, the associated people are no different for their relationships with that person.
The issue is somewhat confounded by the fact that autism somewhat runs in families. Autistic traits can often be found in our parents and our siblings, which can then underline others' judgmentalness and seemingly make acceptable the alienation of those people. All forms of stigma are unjust, of course. This particular stigma blindly ignores the value of neurodiversity in favor of blindly idealizing some imagined "normalcy." In reality no person is normal.
Typically the way families fight the isolation is by forming or joining support groups and other safe havens. Local places like Autism Support of Kent County will sometimes offer parent support groups or local directories to health care, lawyers, respite care, and other inclusive businesses. More national or regional operations, like The Arc and The Autism Society in the United States, offer immediate information as well as more regional information and directories.
In these inclusive places, the norms are different. If your kid is having a meltdown, the other adults in the room are likely to be understanding rather than myopically insisting you "control your child" or some other idiotic variation. In such places, the alienation isn't so powerful, and families can feel more free and able to be themselves.
Another way to fight this stigma is to educate your community. One family in my church basically went in front of a microphone during a church event and gave the "our lives with autism" speech to all those listening. They educated the congregation about their personal struggles as well as establishing connections and support within the church. This was incredibly brave of them, and it took a lot of energy to do.
This kind of effort is difficult and not always possible for families with autistic individuals, because energy and time are often such limited resources. However, their effort helped pave the way for other families with autistic or neurodiverse kids to find connections. It raised awareness about these issues overall, which resulted in more church discussion on the subject. And in some ways, it normalized my adult autistic existence in the church.
Regardless of what way you choose to fight this stigma, finding or making inclusive groups is important. Managing life with additional challenges is hard enough. Don't do it alone.
This stigma is most often seen in the isolating effect on a family with one or more autistic individuals. The autistic person, perhaps a small child, but even an older dependent, is seen as a burden or even a danger. As a result, the family is not invited to social gatherings, the parents are perhaps told to "control their child," and members of the family may even be shunned in school, at work, or at the grocery store.
It's as if being related to an autistic person somehow makes the family (or other individuals) irrevokably different and other. This is, of course, utter nonsense. Just as an autistic person, having received their diagnosis, is no different than they were before, the associated people are no different for their relationships with that person.
The issue is somewhat confounded by the fact that autism somewhat runs in families. Autistic traits can often be found in our parents and our siblings, which can then underline others' judgmentalness and seemingly make acceptable the alienation of those people. All forms of stigma are unjust, of course. This particular stigma blindly ignores the value of neurodiversity in favor of blindly idealizing some imagined "normalcy." In reality no person is normal.
Typically the way families fight the isolation is by forming or joining support groups and other safe havens. Local places like Autism Support of Kent County will sometimes offer parent support groups or local directories to health care, lawyers, respite care, and other inclusive businesses. More national or regional operations, like The Arc and The Autism Society in the United States, offer immediate information as well as more regional information and directories.
In these inclusive places, the norms are different. If your kid is having a meltdown, the other adults in the room are likely to be understanding rather than myopically insisting you "control your child" or some other idiotic variation. In such places, the alienation isn't so powerful, and families can feel more free and able to be themselves.
Another way to fight this stigma is to educate your community. One family in my church basically went in front of a microphone during a church event and gave the "our lives with autism" speech to all those listening. They educated the congregation about their personal struggles as well as establishing connections and support within the church. This was incredibly brave of them, and it took a lot of energy to do.
This kind of effort is difficult and not always possible for families with autistic individuals, because energy and time are often such limited resources. However, their effort helped pave the way for other families with autistic or neurodiverse kids to find connections. It raised awareness about these issues overall, which resulted in more church discussion on the subject. And in some ways, it normalized my adult autistic existence in the church.
Regardless of what way you choose to fight this stigma, finding or making inclusive groups is important. Managing life with additional challenges is hard enough. Don't do it alone.
No comments:
Post a Comment