Why I am ritually burning my favorite shirt.

I have a shirt that I love. It fits me well. It says "Schrodinger's cat is dead" on the front, and I'm sure you can figure out what the back says.

I love this shirt probably more than any other article of clothing I've ever had (except maybe the Bambi dress I had from ages 7-9 or so). It looks good, it feels good, I get compliments when I wear it.

So why am I burning it?

Autism Speaks, that's why.

They have cornered the market on getting donations. It sucks. It's unethical, given their fund distribution structure. It's even more unethical, given that they are spreading the tragedy model of autism and the whole "autistic people who have an opinion on autism aren't really autistic---until we need to count them for our scare numbers." It is un-fucking-acceptable.

Step in at my doctor's office. Whatever. I can write to them, they know more about autism than "THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!!!".

But this, this is an invasion. Those there are MY PEOPLE. Or I thought ThinkGeek was my people.

Apparently I was wrong. By wearing a TG shirt I am advertising for...well, ThinkGeek.

I am not advertising for anyone who donates to an unethical group that wants to ignore and exterminate me, erase my existence and experience, that plagiarizes me (bonus points for trying to go over my head to an NT for use of a segment on self advocacy. FAIL FOREVER!), that has supporters who threaten me physically, that has private jets and ridiculous offices when so many autistic adults (oh wait, we don't exist) and so many families are barely getting by. I am not advertising for anyone who thinks that's a remotely acceptable group to donate to.

I suspect ThinkGeek really shat where they eat with this one-they likely have an awful lot of autistic customers who share my sentiments.

So, I will be burning my Schrodinger's Cat shirt, a Firefly shirt, a Pi By Numbers shirt, and my ThinkGeek catalog. "You shouldn't exist" is the message sent by donating to Autism Speaks, and the corollary is "we don't want your money."

Wish granted. Not another dime.