For years, April has
been observed in several countries around the world as Autism
Awareness Month. Because of this, autism is now a household word, and
most people are at least somewhat familiar with the kinds of
challenges we face. With some help from the internet, the autism
community is more connected than ever.
There's no question
that autism awareness has led to some important accomplishments.
However, I think it's time to take the concept even further. Some
autistic-run organizations, such as the Autistic Self-Advocacy
Network (ASAN), have proposed that we make the change to Autism
Acceptance Month.
It might seem like a
small change. Maybe unimportant, or strange to even consider.
Awareness to acceptance? Let me see if I can sell you on it.
First thing, we're
not removing anything from the spirit by taking the word 'awareness'
out of the name. After all, it's hard to pro-actively accept
something that you aren't aware of.
I think the only
problem many of us in the autistic community have with Autism
Awareness Month is how the awareness seems to be implemented. Most
people seem to approach it the same way you would approach cancer
awareness, as a horrible disease that affects millions of people, and
needs to be stopped as soon as possible.
Most autistic people
feel that's a poor representation of how we see ourselves. We
recognize that we have different challenges that can make life
difficult for us. However, we don't feel that this is a good reason
to change who we are.
In addition, certain
rhetoric, such as that of reclaiming lost children, can be damaging
to some autistic people. You have to remember that this is how we
were born, and it's how we'll always be. The notion that a person
must be normal in order to qualify as a full person or to be seen as
valuable to society can lead to severe depression when it's
discovered that that's an impossible goal.
Another thing I
often hear this time of year is to say that if a person displays a
vaguely autistic trait, then they might be autistic. For example, if
you see a child screaming in public, remember that they might be
autistic. I find this to be useless, accomplishing nothing except
creating unnecessary barriers between autistic and normal people.
Instead, let's try
to keep in mind that autistic behavior isn't so different from that
of a normal person. To use a similar example, if you see a child that
you know to be autistic screaming in public, try to remember that
most children use some form of tantrums to alert nearby adults that
something is wrong.
So what should we be
observing during Autism Acceptance Month? I would say that the focus
should be on the positives. Recognize the positive traits of autism
and think about what autistic people are good at. Remember the
autistic people in your life. And above all, never forget that no
matter what we look like or how we act, we are people, just like you.
I don't mean to
ignore the negatives. We've all heard about social difficulties,
problems reading nonverbal communication, repetitive, stereotyped
motions (also called stims), adherence to routines, and narrow
interests. Those are very real, and can be problematic in certain
situations.
However, I believe
most of the positive traits are the same traits as the negatives, but
in a different context. Let's examine that with the above examples.
Let me go ahead and
start at the end of the list, with narrow interests. I prefer to
think of them as focused interests. In fact, the narrowed focus
allows us to learn in depth details about that interest very quickly.
Most of us will branch out into related subjects when we find we have
to learn about something else to learn more about our interests. This
also fits with the way most autistic people learn, starting with
specifics and branching out into more general subjects.
As for routines,
most autistic people, and in fact, most people in general, don't
always like to deal with the unexpected. Many of us also need to take
time to process how to handle a situation. Having a routine helps
because it simultaneously creates a preset series of situations,
meaning the thinking has all been done ahead of time, and limits the
likelihood of unexpected circumstances.
I know part of the
problem is that routines can sometimes be inefficient. Think about
how many neuronormal people you know with inefficient routines. I
don't mean to say just let it go, but when we're talking about
acceptance, we should allow the same amount of leniency for
inefficient behaviors toward both autistic and normal people.
Stimming is another
coping mechanism. As far as I can tell, there are two main reasons to
stim. One is to keep the mind running during times of high activity
or near inactivity. The other is to burn off nervous energy to
diffuse an impending meltdown.
In the spirit of
acceptance, I should point out that stimming is another thing that
neuronormal people engage in. Have you ever found yourself tapping a
pen? That's the first type of stimming. How about nervously pacing?
That's the second type. What would happen if someone were to stop you
from either? Considering that, it should come as no surprise that
stopping it isn't usually the best idea.
The social
difficulties are a little tougher. You have to bear in mind that
autistic people tend to be highly logical. As any Star Trek fan can
tell you, human interaction tends to be highly illogical. Simply put,
our brains are not wired to pick up on social rules. We're capable of
it, but only through deliberate learning and conscious observation.
On the other hand,
having a highly logical mind can be a huge advantage in several
areas, including science, music, language, and many more.
One final note, take
a moment to think of the autistic people in your life. What have they
contributed to your experience on Earth? What would your life be like
without them? It's likely that you know at least one or two autistic
people, even if you don't know it.
To paraphrase
notable autism activist Ari Ne'eman, normal should not be the goal.
Happiness should be the goal. If you can, try to learn from us,
autistic people, about autism this Autism Acceptance Month.
