My mum misses me, my family dissess me.
Society dehumanises me. Despises me. Criticize me.
They are fossilized. I do not apologise.
I am ridiculed, violated, bullied. Ignored.
I am stared at, laughed at spat at.
What have I done to you? I mind my own business.
I do not listen. I do not see or give you the third degree.
I am holistic, simplistic certainly not materialistic.
My disability is your prejudice, systemic injustice.
Your presumptions and assumptions.
Intolerance of my difference.
Your misperception I take objection.
I am not a disorder, im not a symptom. Its not catching.
Im not a label or a vegetable or a crystal angel.
Im not a lost soul or out of control.
Im not from outer space, or a charity case.
I am suppressed not possessed.
Institution is not a solution.
I don’t have a condition, im not an exhibition.
Im not an artist or a musician, or on a hostile expedition.
Maybe I will become a politician.
Im not an Einstein or like Rain man.
Im not Pinocchio or Peter pan.
Im not ill, I don’t want your pills
Or your out of date text book skills.
Im not a zoo exhibition or a freak show,
Im a feeling human from head to toe.
I can get lost in the worlds beauty
So don’t make me fit in your reality.
Why should I conform
To what you think is the norm
Like a Big Brother contestant
All we want is acceptance.
The world loves Happyfeet Nemo and Shrek
So should I paint my face green and be on Star Trek?
I create employment and opportunity,
I educate the world in diversity.
You cant bleed the devil out of me,
People like me have influenced history.
You need me.
So don’t cure me.
Don’t pity me just let me be.
Casdok (C’s Autistic Spectrum Difference is OK) is a single mother to 19-year-old C. C is non verbal, nor does he do any signing or Pecs. He has learnt that head banging gets his message across very well.
Casdok started blogging to raise awareness generally. Her very first post was, “If my son could speak this is what I think he would say.” She is also the author the “Mother of Shrek” blog.
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Genevieve Hinson is a social media coordinator for Children's Hospital Central California. She's also a writer, wife and mom to two boys and a girl. The opinions she expresses here are her own, as is her obsession for coffee.
