April is Autism Acceptance Month
Autism acceptance means embracing and valuing autistic
people as autistic people instead of being afraid of us, having low expectations, or trying to find a way to make us not autistic. The Americans With Disabilities Act says “disability is a natural part of the human experience.” Autism is a natural part of the human experience, and autistic people are members of our community, citizens, friends, family members, and fellow humans. Accepting autistic people is about honoring human diversity and making sure that everyone is included, valued, and contributing in our society. 1 in 45 people are autistic. You probably know an autistic person. Autism acceptance means you want us around. At its heart, autism acceptance is about
accepting autistic people, instead of being afraid of us, having low expectations, or trying to find a way to make us not autistic.
Acceptance might look like:
• helping your child learn to use their AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication) device
• fighting stigma and stereotypes about autism and autistic
people
• hiring an autistic person to work for you at the same wage as a comparable non-autistic person
• snapping your fingers instead of clapping for applause so
your coworker isn’t hurt by the noise
• making sure autistic people are included and respected in
your community and that your community is accessible
Acceptance is not passive tolerance. Acceptance is an action. Does acceptance mean no therapies, no education, no intervention, just letting my kid stay where they are forever? Isn’t acceptance passive? No! Acceptance is not passive. Acceptance is an action. Acceptance means doing everything you can so that your autistic child will grow up into the best autistic adult they can be.
Save the Date: Virtual Autism Parent Connect
Thursday, May 26, 7 – 8pm
Register: p2p@arcwhatcom.org
Resources: www.autisticadvocacy.org
www.autismacceptancemonth.org
