Saying no to work: doing what's right

Standing up for what you believe in, even if that isn't the popular or mainstream view

Once of the things I absolutely love to do is to talk. To raise the voice of me and my communities.?

In the recent months I have had more invites to talk about Neurodiversity in the workplace and neurodiverse businesses. A short while ago I received an invite from a Radio station stateside. The show was dedicated to the Autism community.?

Eeeep!?

I was super excited and I thanked the universe for this opportunity.?

I was dancing about the living room… until I my gut told me to ask a question:?

“What is the host’s position on ABA”.?

Now, I am not Autistic. I have not experienced Applied Behaviour Analysis, otherwise known as ABA myself. My understanding of ABA, is developing. I am doing my reading and engaging with Autistic people who have a much deeper and personal and professional understanding than I do.?

I am doing my best to be an ally.?

To me this means not just talking a good talk.?

It means learning when I am aware of gaps in my knowledge. Seeking out people to develop my understanding on a human level.?

It also means standing up and walking my talk.?

I emailed across my question.?

The Radio producer put me in touch with the host and we arranged a conversation. The first thing out of the mouth of the host was his position on ABA. His employer was pro and to his mind this is the “only evidence-based approach” for working with people on the Autistic Spectrum.?

We had a conversation. I did a lot of listening.?

There was nothing in what the host said that altered my opinion.?

ABA is abusive.?

In very simplistic terms it is the systematic process of re-training Autistic people to behave in a neurotypical way.?

I had a choice.?

Did I go onto the show and raise the alternative point of view?

Use it as a platform to voice my position. That we need to develop as a society that embraces difference. To create systems that are inclusive different ways of processing and being.?

For well over a decade I have worked with Autistic people, both in secure environments and in the community. People who require additional supports to live their best lives, and those who do not.?

Today I am focusing my work on supporting Neurodiverse people to be able to develop and run their own businesses. With my business partner we help employers to support and include the variance in neurotypes in their workplaces.?

I come from a place of putting humanity and individualism at the heart of every Equality, Diversity and Inclusion intervention. Broad brush approaches will never suit all people. And in their essence become exclusionary in themselves.

There is a moral obligation to challenge and confront behaviours and approaches that do observable harm. Or at the very least, can be reasonably understood to be harmful.?

ABA comes into this space for me.

And though it would have raised my profile. I would have been able to discuss the point with the interviewer. I knew that it was not a space I would have been able to even turn the dial in… at the very least they would have editing rights over my words…?

I took the decision to walk away from this opportunity.?

At this time I decided not to work with someone, and for their organisation who support ABA. My power is elsewhere.?

I will continue to ponder over whether this was the right decision. Did I de-platform myself? Was I walking away from those who I say I want to help? Could I have been the person to bring a change of view to this organisation??

I won’t ever be able to say.?

What I can say is that I operated from my heart and head. With my integrity in tact.?

In the fullness of time I may be proven wrong, that ABA is okay…

I will take my chances… my intuition tells me I am standing on the right side of history…?

#NeuroDiversity #DiversityAndInclusion #NeuroDivergence #ABAIsAbuse #Integrity