Consent. It is a very simple concept. If you want something to happen or have done, you can give consent and that’s the end of it. No harm, no foul.

What happens when you cannot give consent? The act cannot happen. At last that’s how it should be. It is very often the opposite.

This is the scenario that happens way too often. We have a martyr parent annoyed or upset that their autistic child has a stim or special interest and posts online about it. They usually do this for attention. They want likes or comments to see that people agree with them and they are not objectifying thier child. What I saw today was too much and it prompted me to leave the group before I went into meltdown. I was so upset.

In one of the bad groups on my list, there as a video of a twelve year old boy in his underwear, jumping with joy. There is no way this child would be able to give consent to be recorded. There is also no possible way he could give consent for this video to be shared with thousands of strangers.

I doubt if he was typical, his mother would be sharing this video with him in his underwear. Why would she be doing it to her autistic son? I cannot imagine doing that to my kids. I respect their feelings.

I doubt very much his mother would strip down, jump around to a movie that she loves and record herself. I also doubt very much that she would post this for the world to see.

Children, even children who need more support than others, deserve body autonomy, just like everyone else. It is the same thing as touching someone without permission. We would not do it. At least I would not. Please think about how your child would feel if they knew you were exploiting your child for a few likes or comments. If they fully understood what was being done and what the consequences would be.  It hardly seems worth it.

You do not know who is in these groups. The administrators and moderators can only monitor and screen so much. They have their own lives. There is very little information on a join request. There could be pedophiles in the group. You just do not know. Protect your children. Respect your children. It is your job, your responsibility and your privilege.