#askanautistic

I have seen people defining the LSN, MSN, and HSN support need labels differently in the Autistic community and broader disability community. Today, I'd like to make a poll about 3 possible definitions.

It's a long post, but I'd really appreciate your poll vote!

Why it Matters

Lack of clear definitions can confuse people, leading to issues like stress and imposter syndrome. If we can reach a stronger consensus, we can reduce this confusion and stress.

I see different people endorsing different definitions. I've fixated and stressed over it. If we can reach a stronger consensus, maybe we can stress less.

Defining Acronyms

Some of you will know this and some won't, so let's explain.

Here's what the labels mean:

LSN = low(er) support needs relative to other autistics/disabled people

MSN = medium support needs

HSN = high support needs

Some definitions use activities of daily living (ADLs). There are 2 types of ADLs, instrumental and basic.

iADLs = stuff like cooking, shopping, managing doctor appointments, transportation, etc. (often learned around teen years)

bADLs = 6 things: bathing, dressing, eating, moving around (e.g. getting up, going to a different room), grooming/hygiene, and toileting (often learned in toddler/childhood years)

Some needs, like the need for supervision, are not covered by ADLs.

3 Possible Definitions

Now that we know our acronyms, let's cover our definitions:

Strict ADL definition: LSNs need help with iADLs only, MSNs need some bADL help, and HSNs need help with every single bADL (i.e., if you can get around the house without someone helping you sit/walk/roll, you're not an HSN)

Looser ADL definition: LSNs need help with some iADLs, MSNs need help with most/all iADLs and few/no bADLs, and HSNs need major bADL help

Holistic definition: LSNs can live independently perhaps with some support, MSNs need a caregiver or support worker for health/safety, and HSNs need intense daily support

For example, imagine someone who can do few iADLs but all bADLs, while also needing 24/7 supervision for safety. Under the strict definition, this person would be an LSN. Under the loose one, they'd be MSN. Under the holistic one, they'd be HSN.

Now, I'll ask your opinions and whether you're autistic or disabled.

My hope is to reach as many people as possible and create a respectful, helpful discussion.

Please:

If you comment, be kind and respectful of others (even if they disagree with you or you don't like the poll)

Consider sharing so we can get more votes

There is a bit of an alarming thing happening in the UK right now. Recently, five judges in the Supreme Court ruled that the word 'woman' when used in the Equality Act 2010 applies to 'biological sex'.

This led to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (!!!) very quickly releasing some interim guidance that basically excluded trans people from using any single-sex facilities! There was no guidance on how this would be enforced, which was also concerning.

Basically, the UK has introduced a segregation law!

From what I can gather, there are glaring issues with this ruling and the subsequent guidance, both legally and morally. There are lots of law breaches, contradictions, and fairly weak arguments for the judge's ruling.

No trans people, trans organisations, or even specialists from the trans-related medical field or were consulted with. Almost solely anti-trans organisations were represented in court.

In practise, this ruling breaches the Human Rights Act 1998.

In practise, this ruling actually beaches the Equality Act! (The ruling states that for the purposes of the EA, trans people are to be considered their 'biological'/assigned at birth sex. However, possibly owing to the obvious absurdity of having trans men forced to used women's toilets and trans women forced to use men's toilets, the EHRC have said that trans people cannot use toilets either in line with their legal/acquired sex, or with their 'biological'/assigned at birth sex.)

It's in breach of the Law of Goodwin.

It's in breach of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

The word 'woman' in the Equality Act did include trans women - it was specified that the word 'woman' included trans women who have a Gender Recognition Certificate. So it's unclear why this is being ignored and the word (within the Act) being redefined.

The word 'biological' when used in the ruling is not a scientific or legal term. There are only two legally recognised sexes/genders, yet there was also no regard for the fact intersex people exist (or how this might impact on them).

Many of the reasons they gave for why a trans woman can't be discriminated against for being a woman are things that also apply to many cis women (not all cis woman are able to conceive, for example).

The fact trans people have gender reassignment as a protected characteristic was used to support the idea that trans women don't also need to be protected from sex-based discrimination. However, people can have multiple protected characteristics.

The Good Law Project has decided to challenge this decision, but they need help funding the legal costs.

Removing rights from a marginalised group that has such a devastating and quite disgusting impact is wrong. It's also terrifying. If they get away with this, whose rights will they remove next?

The Good Law Project states:

We believe that the Supreme Court – which disgracefully refused to hear from trans people before handing down a decision with the profoundest possible consequences for trans lives – has placed or revealed the United Kingdom in breach of its obligations under the Human Rights Act. In a 2002 case called “Goodwin”, the European Court of Human Rights said: “A conflict between social reality and the law arises which places [a trans person] in an anomalous position, in which he or she may experience feelings of vulnerability, humiliation and anxiety” and found the UK in breach. Following that case, the UK introduced the Gender Recognition Act to make us compliant. The Minister introducing the Act said it was intended to alter the definition of man and woman in equalities legislation but the Supreme Court, because it refused to hear from any trans people, appears to have been oblivious to this critical fact and decided references to men and women were to “biological” sex. [...] The Nazis forced the LGBT+ community to identity themselves as “degenerates” by wearing pink triangles. Labour’s policy means that for trans people to move through the public sphere they will need, similarly, to identify themselves as trans in an increasingly violent and transphobic world. We believe the UK is now in breach of its obligations under the Human Rights Act and the European Convention of Human Rights and we plan to ask the High Court for a declaration of incompatibility. We believe the legal arguments are strong – but we must also point out that the Supreme Court has revealed a readiness on the part of our courts to disapply, in the case of trans people, normal legal and procedural safeguards. We have put together a legal team involving several KCs and at least one trans barrister. The legal team will be supported by heavyweight policy specialists in equalities law and will be informed by the lived experiences of trans people. We will publish the legal documents in the case as they become available and as the law permits. This is no small undertaking – but, for the trans community in Britain, it is literally existential. We would be grateful for your help. 

This might not be directly related to what this blog is about, but I'm aware that there are a lot of trans Autistics. I'm also aware that many cisgender Autistic people might present as gender non-conforming in some way, and therefore might also be at increased risk of prejudice from the transphobes empowered by this ruling.

Besides, regardless of whether this might also impact the Autistic community, if we don't stand up for other minorities now, it will just bolster bigots to continue trying to take us back in time. Marginalised communities deserve to have rights, and to be properly protected instead of having to rely on the benevolence of service providers, educators, employers, society.

Please, please, let's not let Britain become the kind of country that demonises minorities and legalises their segregation, exclusion, and abuse of their rights.

If you can't donate towards the legal fund, please do support them in whatever way you can (share their articles, videos, posts etc.) and take whatever direct action you can:

Write to your local MP.

Write to the PM.

Complain to the Supreme Court.

Complain to the EHRC.

Join any protests or sign any petitions that you can to make it clear that this isn't acceptable.

It doesn’t matter what it is- candles, Lazytown, The Bible... 

Dear Amythest,

I’m new on Tumblr, and I’m actually Autistic, and I feel like this hasn’t been said enough.

Thank you Amythest Schaber,

I know I mentioned your blog and name a few times and you’ll probably never see this letter but on behalf of myself, your videos helped me discover myself as an Autistic. I have chronic headaches from sensory processing disorder, I have special interests in things like Spider-Man and autism and I have trouble with social interactions that led to me being bullied throughout all my school years for who I was.

When I had chronic pain for over 5 months and still have pain, I think of your videos and they give me strength. It’s content like yours that’s helped me accept myself. Your Ask An Autistic and Neurowonderful blog helped me personally through a dark time in my life, a time that I considered whether life was worth living. As long as there’s advocates like you and Amy Sequenzia and many others I’d like to list, we a/Autistics will see the day when society accepts us for whom we really are. You are a shining star and powerful advocate, and as an advocate for Neurodiversity, from the bottom of my heart, I congratulate you for celebrating a/Autistic people. I know it’s been a while since the last post and I sincerely hope you’re doing well, may God bless you. I’m not doing this to be thanked or for attention, I want you to know that what you do matters and I hope you continue your Ask An Autistic series/Neurowonderful for a very long time. You are one of my inspirations, and I’m sorry if this letter is a little mushy and fanboyish, but I truly admire you and would love to help you boycott Autism $peaks one day.

Warmly,

Robie