Telling Personal Stories
How to Think About When to Use Your Story
Some of the most painful situations new activists get into revolve around stories. What seems like the chance to do good can end in embarrassment Even if the portrayal, the content or media that comes out of sharing a story, is ultimately respectful, third parties may still project their own prejudices on it. Personal stories told in dignified ways can be used in undignified ways. There is also the storytelling trap: it can feel more useful than it actually is. This isn’t to say that personal stories should never be told, but it’s important to be aware of the pitfalls of personal storytelling and how to avoid them.
The obvious risk of storytelling is that the Autistic person who has shared a personal story won’t be heard with respect. It’s the humiliation that comes of being treated as a self-narrating zoo exhibit on display to satisfy allistic curiosity, as something less than human. This problem is prevalent at lower-quality autism conferences. Speakers who are new to advocacy, especially those who are very young, don’t always anticipate the extremely personal questions, condescension, and celebrations of indistinguishability which are sometimes part of those events.
Originally published at autisticfuture.com on September 7, 2017.
