Well Said!

By Helen Said, Autistic advocate, Melbourne, Australia Trigger warning- discussion of Autism misinformation How would a newly elected US President Donald Trump treat Autistics? Let's look at the way he treated William Trump, the son of his nephew Fred III. Cutting disabled relative’s health insurance Shortly after he was born, Donald Trump’s grand-nephew, William Trump, was diagnosed with infantile spasms, which could lead to seizures, cerebral palsy or Autism. According to William’s father, Fred III, Donald Trump never visited his critically ill grand-nephew in hospital. Donald Trump’s father, Fred Snr, had intended for William to be covered by his company’s health insurance, but during a family legal dispute over Fred Snr’s will, Donald Trump and his surviving siblings pulled William off the health insurance plan. According to the New Zealand Herald , "When (Fred III) sued us, we said, 'Why should we give him medical coverage?'" the future president

  TRIGGER WARNING - discussion of racism By Helen Said When we migrated to Australia in the early 1960s, we were the only family for miles around who hailed from Egypt. This was the height of the White Australia Policy era. We stood out for having a dark skin, a Greek-Egyptian connection, a mixed ethnic background and for being Catholics in a government school. What’s more, we weren’t unintelligent or non-English speaking, as migrants were expected to be at the time, and some people found this threatening. Many people at Dad's workplace resented him, as a migrant, climbing the career ladder. He copped so much nasty workplace politics that he developed an extra strong heartbeat that kept him scared during the day and awake at night.  In 1964, in grade 1, I was automatically put on the slow learners’ table with the other migrant kids, even though I could read well and speak English. I complained loudly to the teacher who ordered me back to my seat. Realising why I was being tre