Illustration has been used to promote and draw attention to movements of all kinds - global issues, political, societal, environmental. Movements which highlight and take a stand against institutionalised discrimination on a global scale. Through broad media coverage, the internet and social media, these movements can reach an audience, gaining a following and momentum. A variety of slogans, banners, posters are used to visually give voice to arguments, concerns, observations and key facts. Images of these designs and illustrations reach far and wide, taking their message with them.
The brief is to identify a problem that needs to be fought against, that needs to be given attention and that would benefit from a wider awareness. This could be a global issue or it could be a small and more local concern. The 'Protest Pack™' will be the materials which will be used to protest the chosen injustice and inform those less familiar with it - most importantly, the items in the pack should available to be used by anyone, anywhere, to join the fight.
The brief is to identify a problem that needs to be fought against, that needs to be given attention and that would benefit from a wider awareness. This could be a global issue or it could be a small and more local concern. The 'Protest Pack™' will be the materials which will be used to protest the chosen injustice and inform those less familiar with it - most importantly, the items in the pack should available to be used by anyone, anywhere, to join the fight.
MY PROTEST: Against Autism Speaks
- The majority of their funding goes towards autism “research” for a “cure” for autism. A pre-natal test for autism so that women could choose to not have their autistic babies.
- Only a tiny sum of their budget goes towards actually helping individuals with autism and their families.
- Despite claiming to advocate for autistic people, the organization's board does not include anyone on the spectrum. After being criticized so heavily for this, Autism Speaks added John Elder Robinson, an author and autism advocate who has autism, to the board. He later resigned because the organization had no respect for individuals with autism and he could no longer align himself with their beliefs. Article
- The organization's policies strip autistic people of their autonomy, instead pushing for parents or guardians to make decisions for these individuals.
- They use "light it up blue" which perpetuates the belief that autism is primarily a "boy" disorder.
- Only a tiny sum of their budget goes towards actually helping individuals with autism and their families.
- Despite claiming to advocate for autistic people, the organization's board does not include anyone on the spectrum. After being criticized so heavily for this, Autism Speaks added John Elder Robinson, an author and autism advocate who has autism, to the board. He later resigned because the organization had no respect for individuals with autism and he could no longer align himself with their beliefs. Article
- The organization's policies strip autistic people of their autonomy, instead pushing for parents or guardians to make decisions for these individuals.
- They use "light it up blue" which perpetuates the belief that autism is primarily a "boy" disorder.
#Boycottautismspeaks: Communicating a Counternarrative Through Cyberactivism and Connective Action, by Sarah Parsloe
| boycottautismspeaks_communicating_a_counternarrative_through_cyberactivism_and_connective_action.pdf |
Article from 2015 addressing a lot of things about Autism Speaks from 2013.
Acceptance vs Awareness
In 2015, some autistic advocates came up with the #RedInstead movement to fight back against Light it Up Blue. The #RedInstead movement fights directly against Autism Speaks by reminding the world there should be "nothing about us, without us". To participate, it encourages people to wear red clothing and post to social media with the #RedInstead hashtag.
In the last couple years, Autism Speaks has addressed and made efforts to change and improve it's attitude towards autism, the way it frames it and their efforts towards "helping" individuals and their families. They have a Q&A page that attempts to explain a few of their concerning past actions and paint the organisation in a better light. None of these actions would have been addressed without movements like #RedInstead. I would like to believe that Autism Speaks really is attempting to be a better advocate for autistic people - a lot has changed in a few decades of our understanding of autism - but a lot of the articles they present and share still portray autism as a life-ruining, awful misfortune that tears families apart.
ASAN - Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
ASAN - Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
Logos and Symbols
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Autism Speaks
- Puzzle Piece - Blue |
Autism Acceptance
- Infinity Symbol - Red |
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Alexander Rodchenko
Jon Whitcomb
Jesus Alonso Iglesias
Jil Calder
TYPOGRAPHY
40s-50s
60s-70s
Hand-lettering
I began experimenting in Adobe Illustrator to better understand how to warp text and create a pin-badge shape like I'd seen in some of the typography examples I had been looking at, as well as thinking about colour palettes - what would look good?
I was very limited by the existing typefaces available so I moved onto experimenting with hand-lettering.
After receiving feedback from tutors, I felt the identity and personality of my protest was uncoordinated and needed a recognisable brand and message; trying to say too many things at once lessens the impact of any of them.
I began looking at 1930s Art Deco posters. The first person diagnosed with autism is still alive today - born in 1933 and was diagnosed in the late 1930s. Art Deco is an old style but has such a modern, contemporary look to it, perfect for describing autism which is not a new thing but only recently being understood and recognised.
FINAL PROTEST PACK
FINAL MOCK-UPS
MOCK WEBSITE
Click HERE or the words above to see the mock protest website.