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Autism Awareness Month

 

In 1970, the Autism Society launched an ongoing nationwide effort to promote autism awareness and assure that all affected by autism are able to achieve the highest quality of life possible.  In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s week, which evolved into Autism Acceptance Month (AAM). This April, we continue our efforts to spread awareness, promote acceptance, and ignite change.

The Autism Society of America, the nation’s oldest leading grassroots autism organization, is proud to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month in April 2021 with its “Celebrate Differences” campaign. Designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism, #CelebrateDifferences focuses on providing information and resources for  communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.

The Autism Society recognizes that the prevalence of autism in the United States has risen from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 54 in 2020 – recognizing this continued increase, the goal for AAM is to further increase awareness about autism signs, symptoms and opportunities through: information and referrals, events, printable and digital resources, and community partnerships with businesses and organizations dedicated to building inclusive experiences.

The Autism Society has a variety of resources designed to inform and encourage communities to celebrate differences, and become more inclusive of individuals with autism. The campaign will overlap with World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, and continue throughout the month.

Read about our shift from “Autism Awareness Month” to “Autism Acceptance Month” here. You can also visit our Autism Acceptance Month website here

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Unfortunately I think this shift is more performative than meaningful. Their website still uses person-first language, talks about "treatment", uses pathologizing language, and has a number of images and text content that depicts autism through the medical model of disability.

Here are a number of Facebook pages of disabled, autistic, and/or neurodivergent people who advocate and share their experiences so folks can defer to the experiences/perspectives of actually disabled and autistic people. Below are also links to some content.

Black Girl, Lost Keys

Autistic Kayla

Black Autistic Sister

The Black Autist

Black NeuroQueer Punk

The Wand that Chose Me

Lydia X. Z. Brown

Autism in Black

Harry Thompson - PDA Extraordinaire

Yenn Purkis Neurodiversity Page

Hazelwood Consulting

Queer Neurodivergence

The Chronic Couple

Trauma Geek - Trauma and Neurodiversity Education

The Punk Rock Autistic

Autism and Neurodiversity in the Classroom

Autistic Mama

Deaf Queer Resource Center

Allies and Advocates

Diversability (Page)

DiverseABILITY Empowerment (Group)

The ADHD Gift

Autistic Resources for Autistic Activists and Allies

Advocate Dismantle Rebuild

Functioning Labels:

The Problem with Functioning Labels: http://www.thinkingautismguide...ctioning-labels.html?

Understanding the Spectrum - A Comic Strip Explanation: https://the-art-of-autism.com/...c-strip-explanation/

Harry Thompson post: https://www.facebook.com/Harry...osts/477114306966343

Trauma Geek - Trauma and Neurodiversity Education post: https://www.facebook.com/Traum...sts/3674665889236259

Identity-First vs Person-First Language:

Identity-First Autistic: https://www.identityfirstautistic.org/make-the-change

Autistic Mama: https://autisticmama.com/perso...t-identity-language/

Autistic Self-Advocacy Network: https://autisticadvocacy.org/a...tity-first-language/

The Wheelchair Teen: https://thewheelchairteen.com/...nd-other-such-terms/

Kathryn Poe: https://kathrynpoe.medium.com/...ad-word-7d5e04d93218

Words I Wheel By: https://www.facebook.com/Words...osts/227828639149141

‘Disabled’ is Not a Bad Word: https://themighty.com/2019/07/ok-to-say-disabled/

I Am Disabled: On Identity-First Versus Person-First Language: https://thebodyisnotanapology....ople-first-language/

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