For love and for rights: the grammars of affection and politics in the public mobilizations of autistic relatives

Abstract

The period between 2009 and 2012 was considered a landmark in the history of autistic people in Brazil, due to the enactment of the Federal Law 12.764/2012, which recognized autistics such as people with disabilities, for all legal purposes. This legislation is a result of public recognition of expressions of parents and relatives, in a context of disability positivation term as a political identity instrument of “right struggles”. This paper approaches the main visibilities strategies adopted by movements of autistic parents in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The objective is answer the following questions: a) What processes and motivations allow a private matter (having an autistic child) become a public issue? b) What are the devices used for “pro-autistic” demands and how do they work for the construction of public policies? In addition to interviews with qualified informants, the research methodology involved participant observation in demonstrations, public hearings and lectures organized by these groups.