Deaf Aspie: Why doesn't anyone get it?

deaf-aspie:

summersaysso:

deaf-aspie:

If you aren’t deaf, DON’T WRITE THINGS ABOUT BEING DEAF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DEAF PEOPLE.

If you aren’t autistic, DON’T WRITE ABOUT THINGS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AUTISTICS.

If you aren’t blind, DON’T WRITE ABOUT BEING BLIND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BLIND PEOPLE.

If you aren’t in a…

I’m kind of thinking this may have been aimed at internet commentary/writing, but I’m not totally sure. At any rate, I wanted to ask you (and anyone else who considers themselves a member of one of the above groups) whether you feel the same about writers writing fictional characters? I have a disability, but there are a lot of them I don’t have. I really wish there were more book characters who happen to have disabilities, and characters with disabilities tend to crop up here and there with about the same frequency as happens in my circle of friends and acquaintances. I do worry, though, about inadvertently crossing a speak-for-yourself line I can’t see. I’ve sort of come to the point where I just remind myself that I need to write what I need to write, and I’m lucky to have a lot of people in my life who have the experiences and the bluntness to tell me if I’m not representing well a group or label under which they identify.

Anyway, your post tugged it to the front of my mind, so I thought I’d ask whether your post was aimed at fiction, and if not, what your feelings on the subject are.

Mostly internet ignorance, but if you’re gonna write from a minority standpoint, do research on the part of the minority. Interview people, get THEIR perspective on your writing, make sure it’s consistent with what they’d actually do.

Good advice across the minority board, I think. Thanks. :)

Reblogging Deaf Aspie’s answer in case anyone wanted to see it but doesn’t follow.