Many people are pushing for the relabelling of #AutismAwarenessMonth to #AutismAcceptanceMonth, the reasoning being that we are past the need for awareness & that acceptance is more important.
I disagree. While well-intentioned, I believe that this perspective has a major flaw.
I disagree. While well-intentioned, I believe that this perspective has a major flaw.
Because autism awareness spear-headed by non-Autistic people has been persistently more harmful than helpful, I get why many Autistic people want to distance themselves from the mainstream approach to autism "awareness". I'm one of those people!
However...
However...
When people say "We don't need autism awareness anymore, we're past that!" I have to ask: Awareness for whom?
True acceptance cannot come about unless awareness is done RIGHT. Awareness is still direly necessary, particularly for more marginalised demographics.
True acceptance cannot come about unless awareness is done RIGHT. Awareness is still direly necessary, particularly for more marginalised demographics.
When the general public imagines autism, the mental image is usually one of stereotypes. Boy, wh^te. A maths savant, or a non-speaking little child throwing tantrums. They picture inspiration p0rn (please look up the term if you're unfamiliar), &/or a tragic pity project...
Think of examples of Autistic representation in film/television & what they have most in common. Rain Man. The Good Doctor. Atypical. X+Y. (Yeah, MUSIC had a girl, but it had one of the most damaging impacts the Autistic community has ever seen!)
So much wh^teness & stereotypes.
So much wh^teness & stereotypes.
Femininity, queerness... Black, Brown, Indigenous... These things threaten the comfort of the status quo. If you're Autistic on top of those things, you're even more likely to be excluded, invalidated, dehumanised - even criminalised.
So, what happens then?
So, what happens then?
Countless Autistic people are forced to mask their autism out of self-preservation in order to navigate society. These demographics are among the most overlooked, unsupported, & under-identified in research/services. Some people still think you can't be Autistic if you're a girl!
I think the people touting the "Acceptance not Awareness" sentiment the most are failing to consider how privilege comes into play. If society believes we're past the need for autism awareness, we leave the most overlooked & unsupported demographics behind. How's that liberation?
If autism "awareness" only serves to preserve the comfort of the status quo, then it stands to reason that any "acceptance" which stems from it will be purely conditional, & ultimately harmful to anybody whose mind/body does not preserve that comfort.
If #AutismAwareness efforts don't center, protect, & amplify the voices & lived experiences of Autistic people who are the most marginalised & overlooked/unsupported, then it is almost always performative in its impact & will do more harm than good in the long-term.
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