cheddargirl wrote:

-Squiggle wrote:

I (logically and emotionally) can't understand why that might not happen again this year, when me and other people have worked just as hard to create a studio that would be suitable this year - and have suggested other ideas too. it is painstakingly hard to wait, full of uncertainty, for something to happen, when it might… just not. not quite knowing what to do, just guessing, but creative energy depleting.

Was it this studio (and, if so was it suggested in the proposal of projects to be featured thread and when)?

Community management is hard, what feels like from end-users should take a few days or a few weeks takes more than that (featured stuff usually gets queued by the ST in advance, forum posts drafts take longer and are reviewed months ahead of time). This year has been, to put bluntly, very sucky in terms of managing community stuff since we're dealing with a lot more unexpected not so great stuff thrown our way (notably the implementation of the Digital Services Act for legal compliance). As for the studio (assuming I've picked the right one you are talking about), I can try to propel that studio under the noses of other ST members for review for featurability (just be aware it would be “rushed” action, which isn't very pleasant from an emotional and mental standpoint esp. when legal compliance is hanging over our heads).

this is very helpful to know, thank you

yes, that's the studio I've been working on with others. I proposed it here on 30 March https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7891565/ and several other people have proposed it since.
there is also this studio (not mine), which I think was proposed earlier than that https://scratch.mit.edu/studios/34793984/
I think there may have been other autism-related studios proposed as well, though I have no idea of their suitability.

cheddargirl wrote:

BringUpYourPost wrote:

I feel like changing the OP will be much more of a difficult change due to the enormity of neurodivergence. Neurodivergence is a very broad idea. Autism is too but with a lesser extent

Perhaps harder - at least when it comes to a forum post - but if the ongoing sentiment is for April to recognize of all forms of neurodiversity, then it would have to be done this way to avoid conflict down the road. A set of projects on the other hand is easier because then multiple different project focusing on different types of neurodiversity can be featured over different days. Featuring stuff provides more creative way to celebrate stuff, and prevents further conflict of interest if a singular month could be used for more than one celebration.

ok sidetracking… regardless of when or why, how could this work?
if the Scratch Team were to feature a collection of projects each about different neurotypes, where on the site would it be featured?
I know a collection of projects were featured on the Featured Projects row for Pi Day this year, but would this work the same way for a weekly or monthly celebration? (or I suppose it could work for a particular day, if the day was important enough? (idk if there's a day for neurodiversity)) and would it be ok for the entire featured bar to be about a collection of all neurodiversity-related stuff instead of a variety of projects? I know it's a good topic but I don't know if everyone would find it as inspiring or fun as I do unless each of the projects were very different from eachother (while still each is about a different neurotype) and not just a bunch of informational projects. I'm trying to think of some examples of projects that would work well for this, I'll probably come up with a list when I have the time.
or would the projects be featured by a Front Page Curator?
or would the projects be in an announcement forum post? like the post just has a list of links to projects or something?
studios seem like a good option for featuring multiple projects but I've never seen a featured studio with a set amount of projects that isn't being contributed to by random different Scratchers. so if you wanted to do this it kinda just gets drawn back to the idea of having a regular featured studio.

bump

Since it is April, it's a good idea to do this now.

-Squiggle wrote:

cheddargirl wrote:

BringUpYourPost wrote:

I feel like changing the OP will be much more of a difficult change due to the enormity of neurodivergence. Neurodivergence is a very broad idea. Autism is too but with a lesser extent

Perhaps harder - at least when it comes to a forum post - but if the ongoing sentiment is for April to recognize of all forms of neurodiversity, then it would have to be done this way to avoid conflict down the road. A set of projects on the other hand is easier because then multiple different project focusing on different types of neurodiversity can be featured over different days. Featuring stuff provides more creative way to celebrate stuff, and prevents further conflict of interest if a singular month could be used for more than one celebration.

ok sidetracking… regardless of when or why, how could this work?
if the Scratch Team were to feature a collection of projects each about different neurotypes, where on the site would it be featured?

Front page, featured row.

I know a collection of projects were featured on the Featured Projects row for Pi Day this year, but would this work the same way for a weekly or monthly celebration? (or I suppose it could work for a particular day, if the day was important enough? (idk if there's a day for neurodiversity)) and would it be ok for the entire featured bar to be about a collection of all neurodiversity-related stuff instead of a variety of projects?

As far as I'm aware, the flooding of the feature row was for a one-day celebration. It was also a one-time thing (we've never done it before), so I don't know if the team in charge of features plans on doing something similar for weekly or monthly celebrations or future one-day celebrations.

I know it's a good topic but I don't know if everyone would find it as inspiring or fun as I do unless each of the projects were very different from eachother (while still each is about a different neurotype) and not just a bunch of informational projects. I'm trying to think of some examples of projects that would work well for this, I'll probably come up with a list when I have the time.

Yep, we don't want to flood the featured row with a bunch of info projects (especially when info projects on any topic are fairly commonplace). This said, technically, in the past, some of the month-long celebrations were celebrated with one project instead of collection, so we'd generally be happy with just one nice feature-worthy project to stick on the front page.

or would the projects be featured by a Front Page Curator?

Front Page Curator is separate function (and hey, if the current FPC one wants to feature something before we do, more power to them! )

or would the projects be in an announcement forum post? like the post just has a list of links to projects or something?
studios seem like a good option for featuring multiple projects but I've never seen a featured studio with a set amount of projects that isn't being contributed to by random different Scratchers. so if you wanted to do this it kinda just gets drawn back to the idea of having a regular featured studio.

We generally don't announce projects in a forum post. (Not saying it's rejected, per se, but traffic-wise, the discussion boards actually get a low amount of traffic in relation to the numbers of active users overall on any given day.)

Everyone hello there

ellelouise1234 wrote:

Everyone hello there

Sorry, but off-topic discussion isn't allowed in the forums.

-Squiggle wrote:

cheddargirl wrote:

-Squiggle wrote:

I (logically and emotionally) can't understand why that might not happen again this year, when me and other people have worked just as hard to create a studio that would be suitable this year - and have suggested other ideas too. it is painstakingly hard to wait, full of uncertainty, for something to happen, when it might… just not. not quite knowing what to do, just guessing, but creative energy depleting.

Was it this studio (and, if so was it suggested in the proposal of projects to be featured thread and when)?

Community management is hard, what feels like from end-users should take a few days or a few weeks takes more than that (featured stuff usually gets queued by the ST in advance, forum posts drafts take longer and are reviewed months ahead of time). This year has been, to put bluntly, very sucky in terms of managing community stuff since we're dealing with a lot more unexpected not so great stuff thrown our way (notably the implementation of the Digital Services Act for legal compliance). As for the studio (assuming I've picked the right one you are talking about), I can try to propel that studio under the noses of other ST members for review for featurability (just be aware it would be “rushed” action, which isn't very pleasant from an emotional and mental standpoint esp. when legal compliance is hanging over our heads).

this is very helpful to know, thank you

yes, that's the studio I've been working on with others. I proposed it here on 30 March https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7891565/ and several other people have proposed it since.
there is also this studio (not mine), which I think was proposed earlier than that https://scratch.mit.edu/studios/34793984/
I think there may have been other autism-related studios proposed as well, though I have no idea of their suitability.

Yeah, it seems like a popular idea, a lot of people are proposing studios and asking in the forums.

Yes! I have autism, and this would be good for those who also have autism, like me. And all other places celebrate it, too.

Reposted from this duplicate:

No amount of sugarcoating, welcoming us as a “diverse perspective” or telling us that we just “think differently” has EVER helped me cope with the meltdowns, mental fatigue, delayed understanding of social rules, or the fallout of the alternative treatments I've tried. The only thing this kind of thinking ever does is confuse us about our own disorder and deny us the support we actually need.

I would support an ‘autism acceptance month’… IF it can be proven that we're actually harassed on the Scratch website, instead of just silly blue puzzle pieces, and the ST takes measures to support awareness for the severely autistic, autists with cognitive impairments and others who are actually mentally disordered and whose lives are directly impacted by having autism.

rdococ wrote:

Reposted from this duplicate:

No amount of sugarcoating, welcoming us as a “diverse perspective” or telling us that we just “think differently” has EVER helped me cope with the meltdowns, mental fatigue, delayed understanding of social rules, or the fallout of the alternative treatments I've tried. The only thing this kind of thinking ever does is confuse us about our own disorder and deny us the support we actually need.

I would support an ‘autism acceptance month’… IF it can be proven that we're actually harassed on the Scratch website, instead of just silly blue puzzle pieces, and the ST takes measures to support awareness for the severely autistic, autists with cognitive impairments and others who are actually mentally disordered and whose lives are directly impacted by having autism.

This isn't about silly puzzle pieces or what color is politically correct, the discussion isn't about that nonsense. This is meant to stop people being mean to autistic people because of some misperceptions.

autism acceptance month isn’t just an on-site thing, and there’s plenty of proof out there that autistic people are indeed harassed, bullied, and mistreated (i actually have been bullied for autism on-site (including people actively supporting euthanizing autistic people and telling me i should be euthanized, people telling me autism isn’t real and it’s just an excuse for people who have no skills to feel valid, and people telling me that autistic people are evil monkeys. i reported the first one and it’s no longer on site but the others are still up somewhere) but unfortunately i don’t think i could load the exact comments because they were from a year ago.) in real life i’ve been called many ableist insults including the r-word, told i don’t deserve to have a job, have friends, even live, because i’m autistic, and mistreated by parents and teachers uneducated on the subject who believed that they could “fix” me by training and/or punishing my autistic traits out of me.

so yes. autistic people face harassment.

rdococ wrote:

Reposted from this duplicate:

No amount of sugarcoating, welcoming us as a “diverse perspective” or telling us that we just “think differently” has EVER helped me cope with the meltdowns, mental fatigue, delayed understanding of social rules, or the fallout of the alternative treatments I've tried. The only thing this kind of thinking ever does is confuse us about our own disorder and deny us the support we actually need.

I would support an ‘autism acceptance month’… IF it can be proven that we're actually harassed on the Scratch website, instead of just silly blue puzzle pieces, and the ST takes measures to support awareness for the severely autistic, autists with cognitive impairments and others who are actually mentally disordered and whose lives are directly impacted by having autism.

my perspectives regarding discrimination we face, my own experiences and why Scratch promoting autism acceptance would help
https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7909710/
https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7913153/
https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7915894/

encouraging and bringing light to autism acceptance takes steps toward the world including autistic people better and giving us the support we need. a lot of the difficulties we face disproportionately to non-autistic people are because of the way the world is designed to treat us. if we can change the way we are seen and understood (especially how kids in future generations are going to see us) we can break down the difficulties we face. autism can't be treated because it isn't a problem, there is nothing inherently bad or broken about being autistic. but ableism is. and the way we see ourselves is, and the way our strengths and difficulties are recognised both socially and systematically. autistic people deserve to be seen for who we are and have our voices listened to, and that's how Scratch can help by giving us a space to do that

Nevermind it was already said

-Squiggle wrote:

encouraging and bringing light to autism acceptance takes steps toward the world including autistic people better and giving us the support we need.

Can you give an example of what kind of support autistic people need?

-Squiggle wrote:

a lot of the difficulties we face disproportionately to non-autistic people are because of the way the world is designed to treat us.

I wish I had a way to stick to the point of the post here but I can’t seem to find a way so all I’ll say about this is that the world is already taking massive steps to better autistic treatment. A silly announcement won’t do anything to solve the difficulties you face.

-Squiggle wrote:

if we can change the way we are seen and understood (especially how kids in future generations are going to see us) we can break down the difficulties we face.

Do you mean “break down” as in “make simpler” or “break down” as in “break down the wall”? Also, as I said before, things are already in place to teach kids about autism in school. If they don’t learn it in school, then they will 100% encounter it on the internet. An announcement won’t do anything.

-Squiggle wrote:

autism can't be treated because it isn't a problem,

If it’s not a problem, why are you making such a big deal about its awareness? And yes, it can absolutely be treated (source: my own experiences)

-Squiggle wrote:

there is nothing inherently bad or broken about being autistic.

No, there is not, I agree with you here. However, an announcement won’t change any ableists minds. There is not a point in making the announcement, other than to bring very small temporary attention to scratch’s autistic users

-Squiggle wrote:

and the way we see ourselves is, and the way our strengths and difficulties are recognised both socially and systematically.

That’s not scratch’s problem to solve. They are not obligated to help + they already help by providing an extremely safe space for young autistic people.

-Squiggle wrote:

autistic people deserve to be seen for who we are and have our voices listened to, and that's how Scratch can help by giving us a space to do that

Scratch already does that. The entirety of scratch is a safe space for anybody who don’t attack other people.

Gamer_Logan819 wrote:

-Squiggle wrote:

encouraging and bringing light to autism acceptance takes steps toward the world including autistic people better and giving us the support we need.

Can you give an example of what kind of support autistic people need?

(sorry I'm gonna go on a rant here this stuff is fun to talk about)
accommodations and reasonable adjustments can be really helpful for us, and for people to listen to what we need and believe us. eg. if an autistic person says no to something, to respect that. or to not get mad if they can't speak, or refuse to take off their coat or appear picky about eating due to sensory issues or don't play “normally”.
for schools to change and adapt from their strict fear-based learning environment where you're punished for things like forgetting to bring a pen, for turning up late regardless of the reason, are constantly reminded and threatened about attendance and uniform (for schools that have uniform), and aren't allowed to spend your breaktime indoors or fidget or doodle on your work even if it helps you focus (just as some examples, these might not apply to everyone)
to support non-autistic kids to stop bullying autistic kids, including bullying anyone for autistic traits (not just directly “for autism”) eg. that it's not ok to make fun of people for having very intense or niche interests that might seem “cringe”, for unusual styles of communication/speech/body language, or for stimming/repetitive behaviours
to make spaces more accessible sensory-wise, and make different styles of communication more acceptable (any form of AAC, sign language, communicating via messaging, note-taking/reading software, less reliance on having to make phone calls and speak to people for things that everyone needs eg. saving accounts or doctors appointments or cancelling subscriptions)
extra time when needed to process things before responding or having to make decisions
to educate young people about neurodiversity in schools (and teachers and staff too, for that matter. some proper training can go a long way)
access to written or visual instructions, direct communication, a selection of different ways to organise tasks rather than just one, and/or (non-ableist) social stories if needed, instead of relying only on verbal instructions and memory
opportunities to learn through doing and experimenting
predictable schedules/routine and structure, forewarnings for unexpected changes that might affect us
more supervision when it comes to group tasks so that nobody is excluded
also we need better and more accessible healthcare services (especially for mental health) though so does everyone to be fair

-Squiggle wrote:

a lot of the difficulties we face disproportionately to non-autistic people are because of the way the world is designed to treat us.

I wish I had a way to stick to the point of the post here but I can’t seem to find a way so all I’ll say about this is that the world is already taking massive steps to better autistic treatment. A silly announcement won’t do anything to solve the difficulties you face.

…what difficulties? and what treatment? and what steps? /nf

-Squiggle wrote:

if we can change the way we are seen and understood (especially how kids in future generations are going to see us) we can break down the difficulties we face.

Do you mean “break down” as in “make simpler” or “break down” as in “break down the wall”? Also, as I said before, things are already in place to teach kids about autism in school. If they don’t learn it in school, then they will 100% encounter it on the internet. An announcement won’t do anything.

both make simpler and break down barriers, I think both are important.
none of the schools I've been to have taught about autism (at all, never mind correctly), it's not in the school curriculum at all, and the internet is full of misinformation. it's very easy to come across very ableist outdated language just from google searching “what is autism”, I've had to experience it many times while researching. and that's not even accounting for social media and videos and stereotypical film/TV portrayals and podcasts and fear-mongering news articles and all the other stuff we are frequently exposed to. as well as media that isn't anything about autism but still is overly judgemental and perpetuates harmful ideas of how to treat people (which again is extremely common online).

-Squiggle wrote:

autism can't be treated because it isn't a problem,

If it’s not a problem, why are you making such a big deal about its awareness? And yes, it can absolutely be treated (source: my own experiences)

Autism Awareness/Acceptance is important for the same reasons that Black History Month is important, and Women's History Month and LGBTQ+ Pride Month is important. they aren't problems either.
autism can't be treated, mental health difficulties co-occurring with autism or as a result of discrimination and growing up traumatised can. unless you're talking about ABA therapy where you are taught to mask and hide autistic traits, which has been shown to be ineffective and increase likelihood of PTSD and other mental health problems in autistic people and does not have autistic people's wellbeing in its best interest

-Squiggle wrote:

there is nothing inherently bad or broken about being autistic.

No, there is not, I agree with you here. However, an announcement won’t change any ableists minds. There is not a point in making the announcement, other than to bring very small temporary attention to scratch’s autistic users

-Squiggle wrote:

and the way we see ourselves is, and the way our strengths and difficulties are recognised both socially and systematically.

That’s not scratch’s problem to solve. They are not obligated to help + they already help by providing an extremely safe space for young autistic people.

-Squiggle wrote:

autistic people deserve to be seen for who we are and have our voices listened to, and that's how Scratch can help by giving us a space to do that

Scratch already does that. The entirety of scratch is a safe space for anybody who don’t attack other people.

that doesn't mean they couldn't do more, or that doing more wouldn't help. it's up to the Scratch Team whatever they choose to do, I'm just stating my reasons why I think it could be really helpful