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“I will have to figure how to do this.” — Friend
“it’s easy. just go to the one star reviews and you will see something next to them that say ‘report abuse”— Judith Newman
“Very easy, I just did it.” — Friend
“Why is someone targeting you? WTF?!!” — Friend
“I just did it — up to page 6. It took all of 12 minutes. Once you see the negative review you will see REPORT ABUSE as a click-able option. Ckicj and then click the NOT APPROPRIATE. Amazon thanks you for your feedback and asks you to close the window. (Right, Judith xo)” — Shiela W.
“Done!” – Peter B.
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“On it.” –– Friend
“Done. I mentioned that I am a clinical psychologist and that an organized group with a negative agenda is trying dismiss this wonderful take on raising an autistic child.” — Dean Parker, Clinical Psychologist.
“Oh, Dean. Now I’m verklempt.” – Judith Newman
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“Reported every single one. Every. Single. One. I wrote, ‘Clearly a coordinated attack on this book” for each one, while also marking the reviews as not helpful. Crazy people!” – Heather S.
“Heather, me too. That was even more fun than I expected.” — A Rosenthal
“I was surprised by the degree to which no one even pretended to have read it, though. Or tried to formulate any sort of original objection.” – A. Rosenthal
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“No, I can’t look, but it’s the same words over and over, started, I believe, by the same person. ” — Judith Newman
“which is not to say that people can’t have their individual thoughts about it. They all can. But here, that’s not the case.” — Judith Newman
“At some point I was hoping you had stopped looking right away or read the whole thing, realized it was trollgrithmn, and laughed it off.” — A. Rosenthal
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“I couldn’t help noticing that 90% of those review were let’s just say grammatically similar. Also, they don’t seem to be book reviews, just opportunities for someone to pull up a soapbox and demonstrate verbal onanism(sp?). This could make an interesting next book. :)” — Emily Santora
“Working my way through. Am at 5. I can’t believe how many people came after you. Im reporting it as SPAM, part of an organized downvoting campaign by (Autistic) ppl in a FB group who didn’t read/buy the book.” — Lena Katz
“53!!!! 53 people gave almost identical one star reviews!! It’s lunacy!!!” – Heather S.
“I cannot believe how much time people have for this stuff.” — Lena Katz
“Well, interestingly, they’re all autistic, so (in all probability) have a tendency to perseverate on things. Clearly, they’re perseverating on poor Judith!” — Heather S.
“Not all, but certainly the majority. And yes, I was just thinking, they may actually be one of the worst communities to tangle with online, because they unfortunately they don’t seem to get distracted.” — Lena Katz
“Or maybe because you’re in the Autistic world when you’re online. You are in the home we built. Get used to us. No cure yet. ;)” — Eve Reiland.
“Exactly! They are single minded and very focussed!!!!! It can actually be one of their greatest strengths, provided it’s not directed at you! — Heather S.
“Heather Shamsai you’d kind of think Amazon would be on to this, what with all the one-star reviews being on there in the last 3 days. And before that, I think, one 3 star and the rest 5 star.” – Judith Newman
“Totally true. These people couldn’t even have received the book via Amazon Prime, never mind actually have read it. It’s all insanity!” –
Heather Shamsai
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“Done. A few days ago.” – Lynn Addison
“And let us know, when it’s appropriate, what’s happening with this. I agree with others that you would do a public service to all by writing about what’s happened.” — Lynn Addison
“Done.” — Susan K.
“just did a dozen — annoying shits, and crappy writers.” — Casey Ellia
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“I did a bunch, as well. Sorry this is happening.” — Leslie Torres-Bryant.
“There’s only one of these reviews on Barnes & Noble. I reported that one too.” –
Heather Shamsai
“done — and countered with 5 star review.” – Elisa Petrini
“Done!!” – Fran Shapiro
I wrote on all of them, ‘This is an abusive, trolling comment. It is spreading false information and should be removed from Amazon immediately.” — Aimee Lee Ball
“Judith Newman I haven’t k own a single parent with a child wit disabilities who hasn’t been traumatized by the reproduction issue. These people — who would object to the term disabilities – are just cruel.” — Melanie Howard
“I’ll do some more – I was worried that I would look like part of a calculated campaign if I did too many, lol.” – Melanie Howard
“Honestly, these (Autistic) people are so jargony, they sound like Scientologists. I have had them after me and they love acronyms and nonsense terms like “allistic” and “AWP.” — Melanie Howard
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“I’ll do this. Sorry that you’re having to deal with this!” – Ashley Joan Walters
“You got it!” – Eric Poole
“Yeah, Eric, seriously. You, who were insisting like a crazy person you needed to send me a gift card? This is your gift card to me. xo” — Judith Newman
“Everything funny. I want to say seems insensitive. I so want this to go away for you!” – Eric Poole
“Did a bunch.” – Helen Rogan
“Cuz, just responded to a lot. And decent explanations, I would say. xo.” – Laurie Lewis
“I am so sorry that you’re going through this.” – A. Drescher
“Thank you. It was a pure pleasure to swat every one of these trolling nitwits. Happy to do it and keep doing it.” – Lesley Dorman
“Lesley, so grateful.” — Judith Newman
“Reported every one star review. I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s so brave to lay yourself bare. The book is outstanding.” — Pari Change
“Wow, Pari, you are quite the overachiever! Thank you so very much.” – Judith Newman
“I hit ‘report’ – it didn’t ask me for an explanation for some reason. What ridiculous thing for you to have to endure.” – Sara Geist Rosen
”
“I did one. Then my computer gave me the spinning beach ball. ARGH, I’ll do morek tomorrow. Hang in there, Judith. — Bari Nan Cohen Rothchild
“Reported them all and will send a separate email to Amazon tomorrow.” – Lisa Church
“On it first thing. and will leave a 5-star! gnite.” – Kathleen
“I reported abuse on all 46 reviews saying ‘Use your Amazon powers for good and do not let the talented, funny, honest Judith Newman be targeted by a certain streak of lebelous abusive activists intent on ruining worthy book’s success and her personal life. This is wrong.” — Victoria C Rowan
“Hey Judith Newman, I did a bunch. Just think though, being notorious is better than not being known at all! You’ve really made a mark.” — Dena Matthews
“True that, but being notorious improves notoriety, any press is good press, according to “Selling the Invisible.” — Dena Matthews
“I did a bunch also. It’s easy to do. Almost addictive! Also satisfying, after reporting the abuse, is to go to the positive reviews and click ‘yes’ on ‘Was this review useful to you.’
Yeah, the positive reviews were useful to me! They lowered my blood pressure a little.
I’m so sorry this happened to you, Judith.” — Barbara Jone
“I know! And truly, when I think of it, all for a book that is pretty damn innocuous.” – Judith Newman
“I did a bunch. Amazon should really only allow people who purchase the book through them to review it.” — Moira Lawson
“I did a bunch. Amazon should really only allow people who purchase the book through them to review it.” — Moira Lawson
“They do say they’re going to get rid of unverified reviews, and they see what this is. They just haven’t done anything yet.” — Judith Newman
“They should. There has to be some sort of accountability.” — Moira Lawson
“Done. This is just so awful.” — Jenny Douglas
“I did it the other day to all the 1star reviews. Hope it helps.” — Nola Devitt
“Welcome to my world. You’re experiencing a tiny silver of what I’m dealing with for the past 2 years. Because I don’t have money I can’t sue.” – Joe Symon
“I’m in the middle of doing this now, painstakingly explaining why each of these single stars is a form of abuse … ” — Katie Hefner
“I’m in the middle of doing this now, painstakingly explaining why each of these single stars is a form of abuse.
I’m so sorry this happened. I too have had this happen to me. Hang in there.
You wrote a very wonderful book. ” — Katie Hefner
“It might be worthwhile forming an actual line of defense against this sort of thing, and holding Amazon to a vetting process.” – A. Rosenthal
“I did it on iphone app, but it only let me ‘report’ without giving me an option to comment. But I reported as many as I could find that were one star. I hope that helps!” – Adrianne W.
“Done. if i were on twitter I would expect to be attacked.” – Jennifer Lupo
“Judith Newman I just googled you and didn’t find a renegade website. I did find a site that says you were . . . ” – Jennifer Lupo
“Judith Newman I just googled you and didn’t find a renegade website. I did find a site that says you were born a decade earlier than you were!!!!! That’s a disaster.” — Jennifer Lupo
“I did a bunch, with this in the comments: Part of an organized attack on the author, the book and art itself. Will do more.” – Guy Norton Edelman
“I hope you’re planning to write about this.” – Carol M.
“I suppose doing so would just inflame them even more.” — Carol M
“We should also do that when Trump tweets hate speech and incites violence on Twitter. Thanks for telling us how to protect each other.” — Estra Estrella B.
“Done.” – Andrew Corsalio
“I did this a few days ago for all 15 reviews that were posted at the time. Also did the same for some of them on Goodreads. So sorry you’re having to deal with this. I will try to do more ASAP.” – Davina Morgan-Witts
“Judith Newman what did they do? I still see that whole bunch of nutty ‘reviews.’” – Peter Bloch
“Meanwhile, today’s love letter:
If you’re reading this, I am autistic an I will boycott that horrible book of yours, since it demonizes your son’s individuality as well as that of my other fellow autistic brothers and sisters.
I would hate to be your kid and I bet your son hates being your kid too. He is not your property; he’s an individual person and if he wants to eventually have sex with someone, then let him!
Sex is a natural thing and we don’t’ only have it in order to have kids. If you don’t really want to feed/change/care for your child past toddlerhood, then why did you become a parent?
By writing that awful book of yours, all you’re actually doing is violating your son’s privacy just because you can. Everyone’s going to have sex, eventually; get over it!
If you do claim power of attorney and then use that power to castrate him/forcibly sterilize him at age 18 without his consent, then he will not only hate you forever, but congratulations, you are an abusive tyrant of a parent; therefore, you deserve to have him permanently taken away from you. I hope your son … ” — Judith Newman (text is an email sent to Judith)
“I reported and said “no,” not a helpful review, to many of them and found myself getting very indignant on your behalf. This ‘love letter’ is particularly hateful. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this after writing a book that so clearly shows your deep love for Gus.” — Andrea Barbalch
“These are all bullshit. I hope you know we’d tell you there even a grain of truth in any of them. Find a way to stop reading them, and we’ll stay on the reviews for you. These people aren’t well, and HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK.
They’re all over my Facebook page now. I just block instantly — though one of them did give me the correct spelling of ‘apropos’ today, so that’s nice.
You can be literate and still batshit (holla, Philip K Dick).
And didn’t even think of apologizing for their sas asses. This isn’t you.
It’s them.” — A. Rosenthal
“Sorry if this has been explained already, but who are these people? They don’t appear to be bots . . . ?” – Adrianne W.
So, good times. (PS. I think every parent of a child with special needs needs to have a serious come-to-Jesus moment about what happens when they’re gone, and obviously children are a part of the mix.
I make no apologies for my THOUGHTS. On the other hand, I very much want to be a grandmother. xox)” – Judith Newman
“I had a similar troll campaign lodged against me and Amazon did nothing. An Amazon buddy encouraged me to get people to write reviews since readers tend to only see the first page. Also encourage people to mark good reviews as helpful and bad reviews as unhelpful. That way good reviews appear higher up.” – Candace Dempsey
“Amazon does not care about libel and never removed even blatant lies about my book or credentials.” – Candace Dempsey
“I read some of the ‘comments’ and what amazed me is that people seem to ignore the fact that this isn’t a textbook but memoir, a personal story. The experience and thoughts of one person. ‘m writing my first book and now I have a comfort thought for myself
.. if it never sees the light of day at least people won’t demonize me for being a person with a life and a experience in the real world.” — Beth Lee Segal
“Judith Newman absolutely. Maybe in a less hostile political climate, people would be slightly less vindictive and insane.
I’m also always tempted to ask someone when their book n the topic is coming out if i hear them tearing a writer apart.” – Beth Lee Segal
“OK, well, because there is a massive twitter attack and Amazon may take down reviews where the people have clearly not read the book and are using the site as a weapon … i will make it clear to them that you have indeed read it and should say what you damn please. — Judith Newman
“My own amazon review should say “verified purchase” because I bought it there.” — John Elder Robison
“John Elder Robison great.” — Judith Newman
You know what would be great — just to go on there and click ‘unhelpful’ next to the recent one star reviews, and also ‘report Abuse.’
Amazon is aware of what’s going on, but I need to fight this fight over the next week.” – Judith Newman
“Yes indeed. Sorry you’re having to grapple with that as well . . . it’s exhausting. (And yes definitely re the interim Amazon action.) – Laura Marmor
“Okay I went on Amazon and see what you mean. Did all the above and hope it’s useful.” — Laura Marmor
“I’m glad you reported him. Beyond wishing you well, to me the most telling detail in this narrative is the scallions. very interesting . . . ” — Eric Messinger
“I love this, Judith. What a woman you are. What a family you have. Good for you for pursuing this. If more of these bastards got held accountable, maybe things would be different. (But probably not . ..)” – Beth Howard
“and now you forget about it. you have turned it over. ” – Walter Sabe
Some tech writer at the paper should do a thing about writers who have had this kind of situation. I”m hardly the only one.” — Judith Newman
So a woman is writing a story about the troll situation, and asks if I want to comment. I say I’m happy to, but has she read the book.
She says, No this is a news story. It’s unnecessary, someone else on her site will do a ‘feature’ [yeah,sure] and will read it. I say, ok, fine, call me now. (I was walking down the street at the time and didn’t have her number.) She doesn’t call.
Then I email an say, OK, I’ll be in my office, you can call or email me questions. I’m happy to talk to you. Nothing. Then the story is posted. with just like ten posts from the trolls who hadn’t read it, and the conclusion that the books is a ‘net loss’ to autistic people. No checking of whether the things were saying wer ein any way what I’ve said. after an initial (decent) impulse to do it. I’m sure she told her editors,” Well, I tried.”
Not giving her or the website oxygen, but she is near the start of her career and I will remember her.” — Judith Neman
\
“And now she’s come back to me for commentary, once the piece is up because she wasn’t near her computer last night. Two minutes after asking for my commentary.
The piece is up. I’m not feeling inclined to say anything. But am I being too harsh?
(Now this has become an interesting journalistic question for me, apart from feelings treated unfairly. Does this make it right? Or is it still wrong? Curious to know what others think.) — Judith Newman
“No, this is … Not even laziness. Antithetical to the journalistic ethic in every way. I’m going to write an article about civil rights, but ugh, I”m not near my computer right now s here’s some quotes from David Duke.” — A. Rosenthal
“This happened to me with my book … I found no solution.” – A. Drescher
“How awful! I’ll leave a five-star review right away.” – Maggie Robertson
“I’m so sorry, Judith. I just left a glowing and heartfelt five-star review.” — Hilda M.
“The best thing to do is counter it with a lot of positive reviews. This makes me hate people.” – Nicole Dewey
“I have no idea what to do about trolls but I just gave you a five-star under my Amazon nom de plume.” – Dawn Raffel
“Oh, god, are these those people that are aggressively MY CHAFF IS WHAT MAKES ME SPECIAL STOP TRYING TO FIX ME? Because I will burn them to the ground. Just tell me what to do.” – A. Rosenthal
“What is an autism SJW?” – Bernard Yee
Sorry so are these people autistic, or they just don’t like the way you write about autism?” — Lena Katz
“see if you can get a verified account (those folks get special anti-trolling tools). don’t feed the trolls with any feedback, block the trolls right away, i fa troll makes any sort of threat report them to twitter.” – Michael Pinto
“Judith Newman https://support.twitter.com/articles/20174631” – Michael Pinto
“PS avoid the term SJW because it tends to align with the right on twitter.” – Michael Pinto
“very much so, twitter has it own culture.” – Michael Pinto
“you can block on the comment, or at least block the ring leaders. — that may put a dent in some of it.” — Michael Pinto
“… i think if you’re a well journalist or known published author that could qualify … worth a shot. :)” – Michael Pinto
“Wouldn’t you just love to wve your phone in front of Henry and say ‘Look at my lovely blue verification check! I AM FAMOUS!!!! YOUR MOTHER IS FAMOUS!!!!!!!!!” — Jeffery Coham.
“Judith, you should have no trouble getting verified.” – Emily Willingham
“Ugh so angry for you. I can’t help with the trolls but I did just leave you a 5-star amazon review 9my kindle app says it will post within 48 hrs — are the trolls subject to this limbo too?)” – Rennie Dyball
“I’m tagging a friend at GoodReads so she can see this. Libby Rain.” – Robin Wolaner
“Good story for The Times.” – Stuart Wilk
“As Nora Ephron always said, ‘Everything is copy …” – Mark Frankel
“Absolutely great story for the Times that will get the book more publicity.” — Peter Bloch
“Peter Bloch but will also perpetuate the insanity” – Judith Newman
“I also submitted a review and reported the two that hadn’t purchased or even read the book.” – Robin Wolaner
IF I CAN SUGGEST FOJ – Friends of Judith, please all post a positive review on Amazon if you haven’t already.” – Brenda Copeland
“So petty.” – Stanley Mieses
She is very pretty. And that’s what started it.
I was objectifying her for the abelist male gaze. 5000 tweets later, and it’s gone downhill.”
— Judith Newman
“Now I’m a eugenicist.” – Judith Newman
“I don’t, but adding my review to counter some of theirs can’t hurt…” – Jessica Potts Lahey
“Review is posted!” – Jessica Potts Lahey
“yep. totally get it.” – Jessica Potts Lahey
“Oh! That reminded me to paste my Goodreads review onto Amazon for you. There’s 5 stars to help counter the trolls.” – Alexandra Robbins
“sic the publisher on amazon — they’ll get them taken down.” – Elisa Petrini
“I don’t think that’s true, actually. They will only take down review if they are libelous or false in a way that exposes them to legal actions. They wont take down negative opinions, regardless whether someone has or hasn’t read or bought the book.
So yes, let’s all write positive counter-reviews, and hope that controversy serves in the long run eve if it is a completely ridiculous and beside-the-point controversy. I am so sorry you have to deal with this, Judith newman, you and your wonderful book deserve better. ” — Lisa Kaufman
“Don’t even get me started!!!!! I hope it’s not too much, but with any luck, I’ve started some Twitter wars tonight. From one autism mom to another!” – Heather
“If you don’t want autistic people pissed off at you, maybe you shouldn’t have pissed them off.” — Sasha Rodriguez Kalodkin(sp?)
“You know, Shasha, your timing is really bad. You have no idea what this was about, or why. Enough with you.” – Judith Newman
“This happened to me not with a book. Sorry bribe did not like what I had written in a blog about something that had nothing to do w autism & when I challenged a disrespectful remark from a man on the spectrum who i had been following and boosting. I immediately because an an enemy of autistics etc. They dig up anything they could find on autism – I was a classroom teacher for 15 years, often worked w autism students & have an adult son on the spectrum. This particular group has also decided that Steve Silberman, who wrote the great book Neurotribes, needs to be spanked also. The people maligning J believe that only people who have autism should be writing about autism. My … ” – Michelle Somerville.
“Just wrote a review on Amazon.” — Melissa Stern
“Talk to Katherine. Our rep can help.” — Tracy Locke
“Just left a glowing five star review, Judith. The reviews on Amazon are five starts and beautiful! My advice is to trust they will burn themselves out.
They’re not wise enough to even realize who and what you are. You are a freaking amazing human being … ” – Kate Heavera
“I am posting a positive review!” — Phyllis Greenberg
“Well, this really sucks. And her’s the problem. We can all write well-deserved 5-star reviews, which I know most of us already have, but thee morons do not let up.
Amazon really needs to find one of those whatchamacalltis — algorithms? – to put an end to this bullshit. It has harmed so many authors. And worse than that, it harms readers.” – Lisa DePaulo
“Your publisher can help with the Goodreads trolls and have them investigate and removed. The Amazon ones … blahhhh, they will be seen for what they are. Stay strong, solider!” – Kimberly Burns
“Will review. Don’t’ really get the haters … ” — Wendy Lawless
“Debbie, you would say that because you, like the people online, haven’t read my book. Their points would be valid if they were true. They are not.
For example, they’re saying I want to sterilize my son. I do not want to sterilize my son. But I do want medical guardianship and I am very worried about his ability to care for a child if that were to happen anytime in the near future.
It would be impossible. And he doesn’t have the dexterity to button shirt, never mind put on a condom. What I want is the kind of temporary birth-control a woman can have that is never the less (sic) long lasting .
So far that exist for men, although now vasectomies are usually reversible. The thing is, it is very controversial to talk about these things openly. So now I’m a eugenistist.
I made the mistake of being honest about my worries, and I’m not going to apologize to a bunch of strangers for that.
Talk to me once you’ve actually read the book and not the opinions of an army of people trolling me. ” — Judith Newman
“This seems like the lamest and most generic thing to say, but a lot of them are really just jealous. That you have this big platform and they don’t .
They are couching their anger to look like something virtuous and righteous, but really they are just bitter and want to dim your light. I have seen a lot of people like that, and they do hop around from one grievance to the next like flies. They’ll buzz off soon. I think if you stay on the trail of Amazon and Goodreads community moderators, you will eventually track them down and hopefully get the fake reviews removed.” – Lena Katz
“I just reported ever one of the negative review. the more people who do this the better. It is worth create a new post asking people to do this.” — Andrea Hoag
“I went through each of the negative reviews posted on Amazon in the past couple of days. and after reading each, reported those that clearly were by people who hadn’t read the book. Ditto for some of the ones on Goodreads.” — Davina Morgan-Witts
“Pretty sure you can contact Amazon yourself, no?” — David Handelman
“Another article?” – David Handelman
“Man that sucks. Put it in the No Good Deed Goes Unpunished Category. There is a classification of companies called reputation managers that will monitor these tings. Some of them are in the business of jacking up your on line presence other are about … ” – Richard Dysinger
“This is the sad downside to a culture that has embraced all social postings as equally neutral. It’s bad Yelp reviews, fake news websites, etc. Sadly the only way to fight it is to be louder and more prolific.
This is one thing Trump understands well. A slew of commentary to drown out other commentary.” – Kaye Teasley
“Sarah Smith?” – Victoria C. Rowan
”
“Addendum to our conversation last night: Since I’m not on Twitter, I can’t counter the trolling directly, but found this info about reporting violations: https://support.twitter.com/articles15789
Also here are the IDS for Twitter execs (yes, apparently there is a “Head of People”):
Jack Dorsey
CEO
@jack
Leslie Berland CMO & Head of People
@leslieberland
Kayvon Beykpour GM
@kayvz
Twitter Corporate Office
1355 Market St. Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone number (415) 222-9670
Fax Number: (415) 222-0922″ — Aimee Lee Ball
Gus was all, Yay!!! His understanding of being written about is: I’m a celebrity, so it’s all good.
Let’s say that he can’t really think it through, in a court of law it wouldn’t be informed consent. But he’s a minor and he loves being the center of attention, so what the hell.” — Judith Newman
International Badass Activists 
9 responses to “#Autistics and #AutisticCulture Mocked by Judith Newman & Friends | Twitter Screens (Working on transcribing 1 @ time) #boycotttosiri”
Reblogged this on QuirkyBirdWords.
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[…] #Autistics and #AutisticCulture Mocked by Judith Newman & Friends […]
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What a horrible person she is! Determined not to listen to anyone who doesn’t tell her what she wants to hear.
Many people buy books locally in those places called “bookstores” or “libraries” too. I mean, maybe someone wouldn’t have had time to get a book from Prime, but maybe they visited their local library or Barnes and Noble as soon as possible after hearing about how vile the book is.
She has no way of knowing that someone has actually read the book before reviewing it even when it IS a verified purchase. Really the only thing this guarantees is that every single reviewer has had to give Judith Newman money in order to write the review.
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right? 😦
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[…] https://internationalbadassactivists.org/2017/12/28/autistics-and-autisticculture-mocked-by-judith-n… […]
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[…] approached a disability rights website, “International Badass Activists” with alleged screenshots of discussions (archive) between Newman and her […]
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[…] a whistleblower approached a disability rights website, “International Badass Activists” with alleged screenshots of discussions (archive) between Newman and her […]
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[…] people’, Rosenthal (a follower of Newman) means ‘autistic people’. As Eve Reiland has transcribed, there has been an online conversation between To Siri author Judith Newman and […]
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[…] written for us,” and attack us in response? Some allistic authors have even put out a call to friends and family members to join them in attacking us and silencing our […]
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