Thread by @mariekeyn

It's that time of year again! #WorldAutismAwarenessDay!

*extremely sarcastic voice* yay

Here are your annual reminders:

1. We need acceptance, not awareness.

We want acceptance of our voices and our stories and our lives.

We deserve acceptance.

2. Listen to #ActuallyAutistic advocates. Boost our voices. Listen to what we have to say.

Boost #ActuallyAutistic people of color. Boost #ActuallyAutistic people across the gender spectrum. Boost #ActuallyAutistic disabled voices.

We contain multitudes.

3. Don't #LightItUpBlue. Don't. Do not.

LIUB is the signature campaign of Autism Speaks. The same AS that consistently (still) dehumanizes autistics.

4. Autism Speaks doesn't speak for us.

Non-autistic voices shouldn't speak over us.

Listen. Listen. Listen.

5. Don't speak of autism as a burden. Don't speak of autism as a tragedy. Don't speak of autism as an inspiration, a missing puzzle piece, a destroyer of families.

Fuck that noise.

Accept us for who we are.

6. Do speak of autism as simply another neurotype. Another way of interacting with the world. Recognize where we can meet each other. Recognize where access is limited. Celebrate being different. Celebrate autistic voices. Lift up autistic creators. Listen to our perspectives.

7. Educate yourself.

Ask yourself what YOU can do to make YOUR world more accessible to the neurodiverse people around you, whether you realize they're there or not.

8. If you do wish to talk tragedies, talk about lack of access and acceptance. Talk about ableism. Talk about cure narratives. Talk about institutional violence and abuse. Talk about autistic children being murdered by their caregivers.

Call out pseudo-scientific bullshit:

9. VACCINES. DON'T. CAUSE. AUTISM.

WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS.

10. Celebrate #WorldAutismAcceptanceDay today instead.

And then celebrate it tomorrow too.