April: Call to arms...

 Now that we’ve gotten April Fools’ Day out of the way, let’s dispel with the foolishness of

Autism “Awareness” Day…

Once and for all!

A day founded by what the Actually Autistic community deems a hate group (Auti$m $peak$), wrapped up in fear-mongering, masquerading as “help” but, in fact, a million-dollars industry whose science is centered not on supporting neuro-divergent brains and their allies, but on research “into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism” as stated on their website.

(read also: Eugenics;Light)

For those of you still willing to do the work of reading the words of this Actual Autistic, thank you. I know, my opener was brutal, but…in this case, needs must… The month of April is HARD on our community, as we learn/work/shop surrounded by the battle insignia of a group that deems us as both their pet project, and as less-than-human…a puzzle with missing pieces.

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*Imagine, if you will, purchasing your morning coffee and being asked by your friendly neighborhood barista to donate to a group that daily tells the rest of the world that you are broken/deficient/worthy of being infantilized/to be pitied/to be marginalized. Somehow that first sip just went bitter, didn’t it?

*Imagine dragging yourself into first period, already overstimulated by the hallway congestion and the flickering lights, only to have the same students who daily make fun of your symptomology, suddenly sporting puzzle piece bracelets and shirts and hyping up those volunteer hours they’re earning by “helping people with autism”.

*Imagine standing on line at T.J. Maxx with your mom, both your arms full of clearance-tagged items because the bulk of the household finances goes to the therapy/assistive devices/medications/support services that you need to get on in a world that doesn’t make room for you, only to be shamed for not rounding up your purchase to “help autism families”.

Welcome to April, Autistic style.

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“So what’s to be done?”, you ask.

Simple.

Let’s replace Awareness with ACCEPTANCE. Let’s begin by opening hearts and minds…and most important, eyes and ears…to the true Autistic experience. Ally with those who are Autistic:

~amplify their voices

~validate their experiences

~partner/fundraise/support their efforts to find a place in this world

Stop sporting the emblem of a business that harms our psyches, limits our outcomes, interferes with the provision of functional accommodations, and often damages our relationships. Look to the Actually Autistic community and follow our lead.

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Honor and celebrate the absolute beautiful life-affirming and life-evolving gift that is neurodiversity and neurodivergence with the rainbow infinity symbol.

Call out for Autism ACCEPTANCE with the gold infinity symbol, chosen by Autistics as the first two letters of autism and autistic are "Au" which is the chemical symbol for gold.

Or go

#redinstead

and ally yourself with a movement created by Actual Autistics to help bring acceptance and support to autistic individuals and raise awareness against Auti$m $peak$.

This month we’ll be doing a fair bit of writing, and hopefully dispelling some of the problematic assumptions and beliefs surrounding Autism and neurodivergence as a whole. Among things we plan to address are both topics addressed in Johannes' recent TEDx talk and topics we haven’t yet covered, as well as highlighting some other amazing Autistic voices and creators.

So please, check back often and with an open mind.

Let’s ReBoot the day~the month~the movement and create a world where Autistics like myself are treated as equals.