Laura Anderson
Autism. Everyone has heard the term, and more or less has a subtle idea of what it is. It’s April, which means it’s autism acceptance month, and a time to raise awareness, accept and show appreciation of autism!
Autism. Everyone has heard the term, and more or less has a subtle idea of what it is. April is autism acceptance month; a time of the year for autistic people to share their stories and be the forefront of autism acceptance, awareness, and most importantly, appreciation. What is Autism? Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability that affects 1 in 100 people in the UK. Which means you probably know or have heard about someone who is autistic! It is not an illness, or a medical condition that can be “cured”, it is something a person is born with, and simply means that the brain is wired differently to that of a neurotypical brain.
This means that autistic people can have difficulty with social skills, sensory issues, perception, executive functioning capability*, auditory processing disorder*, fixations, routines and many other matters. They communicate and regulate their emotions differently and belong to a spectrum, meaning no autistic people are completely alike. Those with ASD are people just like you, they just view the world in a different light, and therefore should be treated with the same kindness and respect you’d show anyone.
*Definitions :
Executive Functioning Capability : Self regulating skills that enable you to plan, manage time, focus attention, remember instructions, multi-task and problem solve.
Auditory Processing Disorder : Difficulty understanding sounds and spoken words.
Society and the Media’s Problem.
So why is it that society and the media generally fail at being autistic allies? One word: representation. The media has a rigid view on what an autistic person is “supposed” to look like; they are either crazy intelligent, anti-social men, or tantrum throwing children. Two caricatures that present autism as linear, and completely disregard the spectrum as a whole - not to mention, the struggles of autistic women. Pathetic phrases like “everyone's a little autistic” and “you don’t look autistic” are thrown around as if autism isn’t that important, or somehow affects the physical appearance despite being neurological. Medical professionals cling to the checklist* and continue to use harmful functioning labels* and person-first* language, completely dismissing the voices of autistic people who speak out against these. On top of this, society continues to push their social norms onto autistic people, while ridiculing behavior like stimming (self-stimulatory behaviour) and mocking autistic people for their special interests. The expectations that are heaped onto them can lead to masking; a subconscious or conscious act of camouflaging autistic traits to “fit in.” Masking has shown to lead to a loss of self-identity, low self esteem and bad mental health, and has shown to increase the chances of meltdowns* and burnouts*. Autistic people are not quirky characters for you to mock on the TV screen, they are human beings, who deserve to have their voices heard.
*Definitions :
Checklist : A checklist of symptoms and behaviours used by a medical professional to diagnose a child with autism, based on old studies of autism done on young boys and men.
Functioning Labels : Labels like “high functioning” and “low functioning” used to describe an autistic person.
Person-First : Describing someone as a person with autism.
Meltdowns : An intense response to sensory overload and stressful situations, a complete loss of behavioral control.
Burnouts : An internal meltdown where an autistic person experiences a lot of emotions and is unable to express them outwardly, it appears as exhaustion, zoning out, or hiding in a defensive position.
How Can You be an Autistic Ally?
It’s time that others begin to raise awareness, accept and appreciate neurodivergence*. After all there have been many iconic celebrities who have contributed to modern society, entertainment and science; Susan Boyle, Dan Aykroyd, Tim Burton, Dan Harmon, and even scientists as famous as Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein have been suspected of being on the spectrum. Being an autistic ally requires so little, yet can speak a thousand words. You can dedicate some time to educate yourself about autism, even if it’s just this one article. You can read books that represent the autistic community well, like Loud Hands by ASAN, Uniquely Human by Barry M. Prizant, and The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida. You can support groups like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network ( ASAN ), and avoid any affiliations with Autism Speaks, a “support” group who has shown to be extremely harmful to the autistic community. Share the rainbow infinity sign as a show of your support, and follow movements like #RedInstead, rather than the unfavourable puzzle pieces and “Light it up blue.” Move away from functioning labels, that completely discredit the struggles of some autistic people, and completely dehumanise the struggles of others, instead, use support labels, like “high support needs” and “low support needs.” In addition to this, unless specified by the individual, use identity-first language ( i.e autistic person ), as autism is a part of the individual’s identity, it is not something that can be taken away from them. But most importantly, listen to autistic voices. Autistic people deserve to be on the forefront of spreading awareness about their disability, and sharing their experiences. Others cannot speak out on something that they haven’t experienced, so let’s start listening to those who have.
*Definitions :
Neurodivergence : A term used to describe the movement towards neurological diversity being accepted and respected in society, this includes those who live with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysphraxia and other neurological conditions.
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