Trevor is the Face of Autism

I am "stealing" this post from the one and only "ANGRY BLACK BITCH." Take a look at her view on Autism Awareness Month...she speaks the TRUTH!

Autism Awareness Month – Pondering the delayed FUCK YOU!
Let’s jump right on in!

A bitch’s 38 year old brother is profoundly autistic and aphasic. April may be Autism Awareness Month, but this bitch lives with autism every day of every month of every year. As a result, the realities of having a sibling with autism are my family’s definition of normal. We’re used to the sounds, the behaviors and the never ending battle to protect and defend the services that make my brother’s life possible.

Autism is not a childhood disorder. It is a brain disorder that, despite claims made by some celebrity authors, will continue to be a brain disorder once a person with autism reaches 18 years of age. Since there have been several high profile celebrities who have a loved one with autism…and since we now know that autism spectrum disorder impacts 1 out of 150 children who, Gawd willing, will become adults with autism…many a lawmaker has championed funding for programs that serve autistic children.

And a bitch is not going to bitch about that shit, since we need to fund programs for autistic children that will likely increase the independence and quality of life of those children when they grow up.

What I am going to do is clear something up.

Ahem.

When Missouri lawmakers fund programs for autistic children even as they butcher the Department of Mental Health budget, the Medicaid budget and funding for social services they are issuing a delayed Fuck You to every single Missouri family with an autistic child.

Note – that Fuck You is immediate for those of us who have an adult loved one with autism.

Don’t be fooled into giving them a pass on this budget shit just because they are pandering to the voting block that is parents of autistic children.

And do not allow yourself to assume that your child will not need support…will not require a job coach…will be able to live in an apartment downtown, drive a car and so forth and so on.

I hope they will and many adults with autism are living independent lives.

But many are not and many will not - families need to prepare for that shit…need to protect the programs with make the difference between people like my brother living in a glorified institution isolated from the world or living in residential facilities while actively participating in their community.

So, I’ll say it again - when Missouri lawmakers fund legislation for programs for autistic children but hack away at funding for programs that serve adults with autism they are telling parents and their autistic children and the adult their child will become to Fuck Off.

And they are doing it despite the fact that many states received federal funds designed to prevent cuts to programs that serve the most vulnerable residents. That shit isn’t responsible legislation, y'all…it’s a classic pander.

April is Autism Awareness Month.

Be aware.

And do not be fooled…