Erin Ekins (she/her)
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queerlyautistic.bsky.social
Erin Ekins (she/her)
@queerlyautistic.bsky.social
1.8K followers 380 following 180 posts
32. Autistic. Queer. Fat. Fangirl. Wearer of fab earrings. Author of 'Queerly Autistic: The Ultimate Guide for LGBTQIA+ Teens on the Spectrum'.
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Ahoy, everyone!

I realised I haven't introduced myself properly.

I'm a queer #Autistic writer and speaker (probably #AuDHD).

I wrote a guide to all things #LGBTQIA+ for autistic teenagers that you can find here: uk.jkp.com/products/que...

And watch this space for a follow-up coming soon...
Queerly Autistic
LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI CHILDREN'S & YA BOOK PRIZE'An essential guide' LIZZIE HUXLEY-JONES'This book is perfect' WENN LAWSON'One of the most important books in autism literature' CHARLOTTE AMELI...
uk.jkp.com
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
Do NOT open your door for any authority unless they have a warrant — from a court, signed by a judge.

NO warrant, NO entry.

If they arrest you, you ALWAYS have the right to remain silent, even if they don’t read you any rights.

The ONLY thing to say: “I want a lawyer.”
Anti-autistic ableism isn't just deadly for autistic people.

When 'tackling the autism epidemic' = systematically attacking vaccines, it means anti-autistic ableism is deadly for all of society.

And you can't push back against that threat without centring the fight against anti-autistic ableism.
I'd also like to mention that THIS is exactly why seemingly proposed plans to cut the Access to Work scheme and put more responsibility on employers to accommodate disabled people will NEVER work.
Not that this is news to many of us, but the past few months have really shone fresh light on how corporations are not and will never be on your side.

They have to be forced to be even tepidly progressive and inclusive, and when that force is taken away, they'll drop everyone in an instant.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
The doctor who claimed MMR “causes autism” lost his license for falsifying data and also had developed a vaccine to compete with MMR, so he made it up to make money. Don’t come into my mentions with this shit.
Actually. Why am I responding to someone who would entertain this nonsense? Blocked, but here’s the info for anyone else who wants to block someone who’s spewing misinformation about vaccines and autism.
They have never cared.

And, like I said, this isn't news to a lot of us. We already knew this.

But it will be an educational and radicalising moment for some, so let it be that.

Do not put your trust in corporations and companies. They aren't here for us.

WE have to be here for us.
I don't care how many times they put up a Pride flag, or kneel, or advertise that they're a disabled friendly employer.

The moment force is removed, or they think they can make a profit without being inclusive, then they will drop all pretence and happily regress, because they DO NOT CARE.
Inclusivity within most corporations has come from one of either two things: force (ie. it's the fucking law) or profit-incentive (ie. they think it benefits their margins and shareholders to appear to be more progressive). But this shit isn't honest, isn't genuine, and it isn't baked in. Ever.
Not that this is news to many of us, but the past few months have really shone fresh light on how corporations are not and will never be on your side.

They have to be forced to be even tepidly progressive and inclusive, and when that force is taken away, they'll drop everyone in an instant.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
People will say "what, at a time like this, how is this your biggest issue?" and it's not my biggest thing but it's a small thing you can do in yourself that primes you for noticing things and being a better accomplice and support and community member.
I don't know how to get this through to people. If you want to help people who are being targeted and don't have a ton of power, you also have to change your hearts and your deepest biases and attitudes, like that some mental health-related labels are okay to use as insults.

You have to stop that.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
(Regarding the hope that people will stop using ableist takes about evil people.)

How we TALK about people shapes how we TREAT people. If you take it as a given that verbal abuse isn't right, doesn't that reinforce the idea that physical abuse isn't right?
People will say "what, at a time like this, how is this your biggest issue?" and it's not my biggest thing but it's a small thing you can do in yourself that primes you for noticing things and being a better accomplice and support and community member.
I don't know how to get this through to people. If you want to help people who are being targeted and don't have a ton of power, you also have to change your hearts and your deepest biases and attitudes, like that some mental health-related labels are okay to use as insults.

You have to stop that.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
The effect of all the worst, biggest sex pest fuckups on earth claiming autism as an excuse for their dipshittery, will be increased eugenics.

Each time one of these dipshits announces autism as a justification, they cement the public perception of autism as dangerous, antisocial, predatory, etc
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
Disabled trans/queer artist couple need community support w urgent dental needs, getting a car & finding housing.

Bread
linktr.ee/wylder
PayPal.me/WyldWish
Cash.app/$WishMage
Venmo.com/u/WishMage

Roses
linktr.ee/wyldwish
Whimsy www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Surprise www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
The Stonewall Inn released a response to the National Parks Service removing the word transgender from the park outside of the Inn. A great reminder that we have to look after each other
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
'Access to Work' is a badly administered and bizarrely inaccessible scheme.

It's also one of the only things the UK government does to help disabled people to access work at all.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
Good morning to this man, and this man only #bbcqt
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
If the government passes the buck back to employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, a proportion of employers will simply and quietly decide they'd rather not bother, and hire someone else
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
This is bananas. Access to Work is a scheme that specifically helps disabled people work in paid employment.

The minister's comments suggest too many people know about it so it needs paring back - and responsibility shifted to employers, who as we know just lurve more responsibilities
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
This Valentine's Day we have digital billboards across the city centres of Glasgow & Aberdeen, and a digital ad van in Edinburgh, to raise awareness of harmful conversion practices. If you spot our ad, tag us & use #EndConversionPracticesScotland.

equality-network.org/EndConversionPracticesScotland
Every time we see reports of the number of autism diagnoses going up, I see people responding with 'alarm' and 'concern', when all I feel is relief.

Because every rise in number represents less people living their whole lives struggling to understand why everything is just so much harder for them.
A fine day to remember that if you think that DEI hiring policies means that unqualified people are getting jobs, then what you actually believe is that cisallohet abled neurotypical white men are somehow naturally the only people qualified for certain jobs.

And there's a fucking word for that.
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
All of this, and let me add...

-If you are in charge of any kind of space (store, library, office, house of worship, online communities, etc), you need to be doing everything you can to make it safe for trans people AND hostile to transphobes.
We have enough validity right now, but what cis folks CAN actually do:
- Contribute to GFMs for trans care and travel (we are a very impoverished demographic!)
- Help a trans person get a job
- Help a trans person move
- Vocally oppose anti-trans legislation (yell at reps, not random bigots online!
I skeet that I’m annoyed that everything trans people warned you about is coming true and I get a dozen random cis people going “uwu you’re a real boy” in my replies and thinking that’s their activism done for the day
Reposted by Erin Ekins (she/her)
So far, there's a lot more evidence that fighting back can work than that it can't, whether it's through the courts, mobilizing public opinion, or even in some reported cases GOP politicians complaining.
npr.org NPR @npr.org · Feb 6
Following a White House anti-DEI order, the National Cryptologic Museum covered up exhibits of women and people of color in its Hall of Honor. The NSA reversed course after former employees mobilized.
NSA museum covered plaques honoring women and people of color, provoking an uproar
Following a White House anti-DEI order, the National Cryptologic Museum covered up exhibits of women and people of color in its Hall of Honor. The NSA reversed course after former employees mobilized.
www.npr.org