Coming soon: Autism Awareness Day (and month)

29 Mar, 2024 by Barry 11 Comments

Like many Autistic people I have mixed feelings about Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd) and the entire month of April being designated as Autism Awareness Month. Every Autistic person will have their own reasons, but here are my reasons behind the discomfort:

1. Simplification and Stereotypes:
   • Awareness campaigns often oversimplify autism, perpetuating stereotypes and focusing solely on deficits or challenges.
   • I prefer a more nuanced understanding that recognises our diverse experiences, strengths, and contributions.
2. Pathologisation vs. Acceptance:
   • I feel that awareness efforts tend to pathologise autism, framing it as a disorder to be fixed or cured.
   • Autistic self-advocates prefer to emphasise acceptance over awareness, advocating for understanding and embracing neurodiversity.
3. Lack of Autistic Voices:
   • Awareness campaigns often feature non-autistic voices, leaving out the perspectives of those directly affected.
   • We want our voices heard, because only we can provide authentic insights into their own lives.
4. Focus on Pity or Fear:
   • Some awareness initiatives evoke pity or fear, emphasising the challenges faced by autistic people.
   • Autistic advocates such as myself prefer a focus on empowerment, highlighting achievements and celebrating neurodiversity.
5. Critique of “Light It Up Blue”:
   • The tradition of lighting landmarks blue on Autism Awareness Day has faced criticism From the autistic community.
   • The colour blue perpetuates an outdated concept that autism is primarily a “boy” problem. In reality, autism affects people of all genders, including girls and non-binary individuals.
   • Autism Speaks, the organisation behind the campaign (and considered a “hate group” by many autistic self advocates), originally focused on finding a “cure” for autism. We prefer to emphasise acceptance rather than seeking a cure.
   • The blue campaign oversimplifies autism, emphasising deficits and challenges rather than recognising the diverse experiences and strengths of autistic individuals.
   • The campaign lacks representation of autistic voices and perspectives. Authentic insights from those directly affected are essential for meaningful awareness efforts.
6. Autism Acceptance vs. Awareness:
   • Many autistic individuals and organisations promote Autism Acceptance Month instead.
   • This shift emphasises understanding, inclusion, and celebrating autistic achievements.

In summary, while awareness efforts have their place, we as autistic people seek a more inclusive, respectful, and informed approach that recognises our unique perspectives and strengths.