Dealing with open discrimination

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

Yes I've noticed the trend.

 

At work, even small adjustments (having a quiet room, accepting that some of us won't attend the xmas party,providing special accommodation for our students) is a neverending source of bitching too.

 

What do you think would help? More education?

[littleblackheart]

Taking a proactive, non-judgemental interest in learning more would help for sure. If there's anything you're not clear on, asking for clarification is totally ok too. Basically anything that involves no prejudice or bias based on assumptions is good! Thank you for asking

[Mr. Lucky]

Background = I have to deal with various degrees of discrimination / ignorance / alienation often as an ASD advocate.

 

Curious to know if ASD is protected against discrimination by being defined as a disability in the US?

 

Mr. Lucky

[littleblackheart]

It is, under the ADA (took me 5 seconds to research it)

[Mr. Lucky]

It is, under the ADA

 

How would an employer know the disability was present and, as an advocate, what accommodations would be appropriate?

 

Mr. Lucky

[littleblackheart]

Thank you for your question. What can help, imo:

 

1. Provide a safe and empathetic working environment where people feel they can disclose their diagnosis in confidence without fear of being discriminated against.

 

2. Make line managers aware of the employer's legal obligations in terms of applying the ADA in practice. That means having a zero tolerance policy on all forms of discrimination and leading by example.

 

3. Be flexible as an employer in terms of working patterns, personal space, advance planning, sensory issues, time out if it's a busy or crowded place, extra processing time, avoiding ambiguous or confusing wording...) on an individual basis while expecting the exact same high standards for all employees.

 

4. Utilise the strengths of the employees to the benefit of both (as a generalisation, high functioning ASDs are often solution-driven and can think outside the box, they are good at spotting patterns of behaviour, analytical minds in general are facts-driven with a high emphasis on fairness).

 

5. Be aware of social vulnerability / bullying issues.

 

6. Above all, be wary of stereotypes and treat them like the human beings that they are. New research shows what most ASDs already knew - we are hyper empathetic with intense emotions that we don't always know how to recognise, channel or express (this can sometimes be learned cognitively or through observation).

 

7. Accept that different is not better or worse. Clear, straightforward communication in a positive environment solves most issues because misunderstandings can happen both ways. It's a 2-way process.

 

8. Be aware that people may not want to disclose their diagnosis for fear of being labelled, which doesn't make them any less autistic! Be mindful that there is a fair chance that at least 4% of your workforce is somewhere on the ASD spectrum.

 

I hope this helps

[preraph]

How could people even be expected to know? It's fine to say here's how to accommodate, but in six decades I've never been in a work environment where people disclose things such as this to their coworkers.

 

Like there's a guy I have to depend on to send me work in the mornings. He's supposed to do it by 9 or let me know there is nothing. I know something is off about him because he drops the ball a lot and just flakes. I used to call to follow up so I'm not left hanging and I've pretty much stopped doing that because once he knows he messed up, he's a hysterical excuse-making mess who will try to lay the blame on others, and even cried on the phone once. I don't need that. The boss knows he's like this too. He's an older guy. Pretty sure he, like me, has a plethora of physical problems, but this is something else. Yet, with all the excuses, he's never said, I have this condition or that, and even if he did, not sure where that leaves me in dealing with him. I've already made accommodations to stay off the phone with him so he doesn't get all worked up and emotional and trying to confine most of it to email and then when I'm in the office, brief "How are you, thanks," etc.

 

In an office or school setting there should be no bullying, period, and yet there sometimes is. And in this case, him often trying to find someone else to blame for him flaking is kind of a form of bullying, while everyone is cutting him a lot of slack.

 

Point being, no one knows, so how can they accommodate and be sensitive?

[alphamale]

I used to work for IBM and a number of other Fortune 500 IT companies. If I would have told any of my bosses or coworker that I was bipolar it would have been the end of my career.

[littleblackheart]

If you can't find it in you to be part of the solution for whatever excuse suits your agenda, at least don't be part of the problem. That's all you need to do. People in general seem to be on board with that. If you live / work in hostile environments do something about it yourselves.

Edited July 5, 2019 by littleblackheart

[preraph]

About all you can do is report a bullying problem to the manager. And also, report a performance problem to the manager and let them sort it out and tell you what if anything to do about it. If you go jumping in and try to do something with no authority, you yourself would just get in trouble. Bullying of any type should be reported, certainly.

[littleblackheart]

You can also be proactive and stop using discriminatory language yourself, preraph. This thread is about ASD in particular - something you have posted about yourself a number of times on this forum.

 

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

You can also be proactive and stop using discriminatory language yourself, preraph. This thread is about ASD in particular - something you have posted about yourself a number of times on this forum.

 

 

Can you describe some discriminatory language you have heard?

[littleblackheart]

I already have, CC.

 

ETA - in case there are people reading this wanting to speak out at work but fear being victimised or intimidated for calling people out. Don't be put off; an unbiased and trained manager will recognise that type of behaviour mile off, plus the law is on your side.

Edited July 6, 2019 by littleblackheart

[5x5]

"avoiding ambiguous or confusing wording"

 

How does one ensure that?

 

Plus interpretation and judgement can also be an issue. Not everything is black and white.

 

Humans are fallible and you can't make them not be that way.

 

Sometimes some people and that includes managers, can't help that they sometimes use confusing or ambiguous wording.

 

"time out if it's a busy or crowded place, extra processing time"

 

Sometimes workplaces simply aren't afforded such luxuries, like time outs and and extra processing times.

 

Sometimes people make mistakes, sometimes they have a lot on their own plate in their personal lives and in their work lives.

 

All people can do is do their best. Yet even if everyone did their best at all times, we will never achieve utopia.

 

Sometimes people hurt others without intent. Even with more education, awareness and even totalitarian enforcement, there is no way that hurting others can always be prevented.

Edited July 6, 2019 by 5x5

[littleblackheart]

It's relatively easy to ensure communication is unambiguous.

 

It's not about the infaillibility of human nature, it's about following the law, in the same way you would deal with racism or gender bias.

 

It's not that difficult to differenciate between ill intent and a one-off mistake due to not knowing. The latter is generally followed by an apology and an attempt to build bridges.

Edited July 6, 2019 by littleblackheart

[5x5]

"It's relatively easy to ensure communication is unambiguous."

 

Not always.

 

This forum and this discussion, like the rest of all human interaction is filled with endless examples of such failure.

 

It is a mistake to think otherwise.

[littleblackheart]

Well sure, you can take the easy road and pass the buck so you don't have to deal with any of it or use excuses to cover for the fact you can't be bothered to meet people half-way.

 

In my work, the vast majority of my colleagues seem to be on board with what is quite a simple message - no discrimination in the workplace.

[5x5]

"Well sure, you can take the easy road and pass the buck so you don't have to deal with any of it or use excuses to cover for the fact you can't be bothered to meet people half-way."

 

And there it is.

 

I am not passing the buck, I have not suggested that and your assertion that I don't meet people half way is false and groundless.

 

Yet your response is a good thing, since it is an example of the fact that evidently unambiguous communication isn't easy at all. Since if it were easy, you would not have had good reason to make such erroneous claims in response to what I wrote.

[littleblackheart]

I don't really know what you're trying to do here, tbh, or how it relates to the thread, really. LS isn't my place of work, my colleagues aren't anonymous posters, there is no equivalency...

 

Anyway. It's not an easy process, discrimination isn't just a random thing that is open for debate or about 'hurt feelings', it's quite clear cut, most people are on board generally + it's the law - was that your point too? If so, we're in agreement. If not, maybe you need to review your definition of what discrimination is.

Edited July 6, 2019 by littleblackheart

[Mr. Lucky]

I hope this helps

 

It does, thanks for the information. Some of the best employees I've had have been disabled, it's just a question of working together to find the right work environment. Good stuff...

 

Mr. Lucky

[littleblackheart]

Good to hear.

 

Aa far as ASD, it can be a strength as much as a disability. Plenty of us a highly educated, some are in positions of power and many of us actually believe some NTs, who instinctively know who to show empathy but choose not to, enjoy playing games are the disabled ones...

Edited July 6, 2019 by littleblackheart

[Timshel]

Even in a generally ASD-hostile environment when discriminatory or ill-informed comments about ASD routinely go unchecked, I make a point to challenge the status quo regardless of 'pecking order' or how 'nice' the person pretending to be, but of course it's a fairly alienating experience.

 

How would react in the situation? When you know there is clear discrimination against an individual or group of people, do you call it out or pretend it doesn't exist?

 

 

Littleblackheart, the majority of people most of the time will relate to experiences that they have personally been exposed/experienced. The truism of 'walking a mile' is relevant to nearly every person on the planet.

 

I don't know that people in general are pretending to be nice as much as sympathy is different from empathy.

 

It's helpful that you are understanding of ignorance from person(s) who are making an effort though they have no personal experience with asd.

Many people struggle with a variety of difficulties/challenges within mainstream society(s) and social constructs and communication always leads to better communication and understanding, though it is certainly an often unrewarded effort.

 

I would say that I am typically a person who will be observant of discrimination and do speak up.

[littleblackheart]

I don't think everyone pretends to be 'nice' either - I wasn't generalising in my post. I was clearly referring to hostile environments.

 

Of course everyone has their own struggle in life, of course not everyone is well versed in asd - all the more reason to not be dismissive and discriminatory themselves, no?

 

This thread in particular is about ASD discrimination - it's not about having a competition as to who has it tougher, and it's not really about feelings being hurt or requesting special treatment.

 

But there are plenty of ill informed posts about ASD on LS as it is for instance - why not highlight the issue, try and find a solution and speak out against repeat offense discrimination on its own merit?

 

I don't mind being asked the best way to avoid making an unwittingly discriminatory comments in the slightest - when in doubt, I am more than happy to help.

 

Being talked down or patronised however? Very hard pass. 2-way process.

Edited July 6, 2019 by littleblackheart

[Timshel]

Being talked down or patronised however? Very hard pass. 2-way process.

 

Agree.

---------------

My son is ASD and to be perfectly honest and based on current information, I am not sure what being 'well versed in ASD' means, exactly.

Sharing information with others who are interested or care enough to ask is how people do better.

 

People say and do unwittingly ignorant stuff all the time; there is a substantial difference between hostility and not knowing everything about every/thing out there in the world at large and being crucified for putting a foot in the mouth or offending God know who's sensibilities.

 

Good on you for speaking up and being patient with people who care enough to have a conversation about ASD. When a person feels as though they may make a faux pas and not have their head bit off, they tend to want to be of assistance more often than not.

[littleblackheart]

Good on you for speaking up and being patient with people who care enough to have a conversation about ASD. When a person feels as though they may make a faux pas and not have their head bit off, they tend to want to be of assistance more often than not.

 

Thanks. That's most people luckily, tbf. And there is support around for those who want it among the asd 'community', as you may be aware yourself through your son.

 

I wish we didn't have to do it most to the time, tbh. I don't get a kick out of it at all; it's like a constant reminder of how some in society see you (very often it's unjustified) but its so discouraging to be dealing with unfair prejudices, and it almost feel like there is no choice but to speak up for fear it becomes normalised.

 

It's going in the right direction though, so maybe it'll be all worth it in the end. But yes, you can't win them all I guess...