It's Autism Acceptance, Not Awareness

Jen and her cats

April 1

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

Tuesday is Autism Awareness Day, but I'm not celebrating. I do celebrate Autism Acceptance Month.

What's the difference?

As Christopher Banks of the Autism Society of America says, "Awareness is knowing that somebody has autism. Acceptance is when you include (a person with autism) in your activities. Help (them) to develop in that community and get that sense of connection to other people."

Inclusion matters.

Autism is a spectrum of differences. It is a difference of brain function that affects communication, social interaction, and cognitive function, though not each of us is affected the same. If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.

Obligatory cat pic

In 2020 the Centers of Disease Control reported that 1 in 36 children were diagnosed autistic. No, it wasn't vaccines that caused the increase in autism. Rather it's research leading to a better understanding of what autism is and how it presents. As more kids are diagnosed, more parents and/or other family members are diagnosed, because despite what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims, autism is hereditary. And it's from these familial diagnoses that researchers discovered autism isn't just for boys.

But why acceptance instead of awareness? Because we have a right to live our best lives, and our biggest obstacle to doing so is neurotypical people.

Over two-thirds of autistics are unemployed. Why is that? Part of it has to do with the interview process. If you communicate differently, it doesn't work well for you in an interview. Also, neurotypical people are more likely to show bias against autistics. That's been researched and proven. And if we do get the job, without adequate accommodations, some autistics are unable to keep it. There aren't many of us who'd last a week working the overstimulation hell of a night shift at Waffle House, though some of us in meltdown can throw down with the best of them. That's not an admirable quality in an employee at most places of business, however.

There are people out there who think that teaching autistics to look people in the eye (which I can) and to control their stimming behaviors (I can short-term, but that's it), we could pass as "normal". It's not true. My brain will never function like yours. We need people to know we're listening even if we're not looking at you. That we're ok people if you'd take the time to get to know us. If you'd accept us and give us a chance.

After all, it isn't us not accepting you.