Thread by @NeuroRebel

We’re only in the first week of April & I’ve already received a multitude of emails asking about how to respectfully speak about Autism & Autistic people.

Here are a few gentle reminders, for those of you who want to be good allies this month:

In the debate over “Autistic Person” or “person with autism”, though individual opinions can and do vary, Autistic person is preferred by most Autistic (not all) people.

It’s always good to ask & respect the individual’s choice in how to identify themselves.

Aspergers is being phased out as a diagnosis though some Autistic people have received this label in recent years (depending on where they live in the world).

Autistic is Autistic.

Separating Autistic people this way harms all of us even those who are given the Aspergers label.

Avoid pathological, medical, language, that makes it sound as if Autism is a sickness/disease/Autistic People are broken/lesser than non-Autistic people such as:

Disorder
Symptoms
Obsessive
Narrow Focus
Inappropriate

Also don’t compare being Autistic to having cancer.

Puzzle pieces are not great symbols for Autistic People because they originally were used to imply Autistic Children were missing pieces of themselves (complete with image of crying child on the original logo).

The puzzle implied Autism “only happens to kids” specifically boys.

Light up blue also is problematic for all the same reasons, plus it’s ties to the “anti-Autistic eugenicist hate group” Autism $peaks.

So what CAN you do to support Autistic People this April?

1. Please don’t further medicalize/stigmatize us.

2. If an Autistic Person (or member of a minority group tells you something is harmful listen.

3. Please DO share/Amplify Autistic voices on Autism & related issues.

#ActuallyAutistic #AskingAutistics - what would you like to add to the reminders for our allies this #AutismAcceptanceMonth?

#AutismAcceptance #AutisticPride #AutismAcceptanceDay #AutismAppreciation #AutismAwareness #AutismAwarenessMonth

@threadreaderapp unroll, please