Accomodation Analogy

There is an intersection of two roads, one going north/south and the other going east/west.

The majority of the traffic at the intersection - as high as 99% - goes in the north/south direction.

The remaining 1% goes in the east/west direction. (For the sake of simplicity, no one is turning; everyone is going straight.)

There are two ways of being: allistic and autistic. As many as 99% of people are allistic, and the remaining 1% are autistic.

∞

In a plain intersection, with no modifications or accomodations, the number of cars going north/south blocks any cars going east/west from getting across the intersection.

The north/south majority always get the right of way. The east/west cars must wait for a break in the north/south traffic to get through the intersection.

This break may never come.

Without accomodations, the ways that allistic people prefer to live can make it impossible for autistic people to feel comfortable, or live their lives the way they prefer. Autistic people must find ways to fit their lives with the allistic majority and the ways they run their societies. But autistic people may never find a place they fit in.

∞

The traffic authority want to install a four-way stop sign to control traffic.

If they do, the east/west minority would be able to cross the intersection when their turn comes.

But because of the volume of north/south traffic, a huge backup would form on that road.

Therefore, the north/south majority would be at a disadvantage. The four-way stop sign is not a good solution.

Autism advocates may want to change the world so that autistic people feel comfortable all the time. In that case, autistic people can always get what they want, and they can live the lives the way they prefer. But at the same time, allistic people can no longer have their way. Therefore, this is not a good accomodation, because it causes another inequality.

∞

The traffic authority considers constructing a bridge or roundabout in this intersection.

Both of these solutions would permit all traffic to keep moving, whether it comes from the north/south or east/west direction.

But since the intersection has already been built, it would require tearing down the intersection and re-building it from nothing. The traffic authority doesn't have the time or money for such a project.

The autism advocates want to change the world so that autistic and allistic people can always have their ways, independent of each other. But this involves tearing down the entirety of society and re-building it, and there isn't time nor money to restart society from scratch.

∞

The traffic authority decides to install a traffic light in the intersection.

This light normally allows the north/south majority traffic the right of way. But it has a sensor, so when a car comes in the east/west direction, the light changes to allow the car through. Then, it quickly changes back to once again prioritize the north/south majority.

The traffic authority feel this is a good solution, because it accommodates for the occasional east/west traveller, while preventing backups in the north/south direction, which is the majority of traffic in the intersection.

Autism advocates decide to provide the autistic minority with times where they get their way, while most of the time the allistic people get their way. They promote laws and practices like sensory-friendly hours at stores and recreational parks. This is a helpful solution because autistic people can have a space to be autistic and comfortable, while the allistic majority is allowed to have their way the majority of the time.

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In an ideal world, no modificatons to the intersection would have had to be made.

The north/south traffic can themselves be accomodating to the east/west cars, letting them through the intersection without being told to by a stop sign or traffic light.

This solution is based on assuming the kindness of the majority in the treatment of the minority. In practice, human kindness cannot be relied upon.

The majority may feel it isn't their job to accommodate for the minority if they aren't told to do so.

Even if some members of the majority will accommodate for the east/west cars, not everyone will, and the east/west cars will still be unable to cross the intersection.

In an ideal world, no legal or institutional accomodations would have to be made. People could just be kind to each other and considerate of each other's needs. Allistic and autistic people could exist in the same places, at the same times. Autistic people wouldn't feel excluded, othered, or inferior. But human kindness is not reliable, because not everyone will be kind to autistic people without being told. Some people will refuse to make the world a safer and better place for autistic people because they don't care. Autistic people would still be at a disadvantage.

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