ways to support autistic people this april and every day!
LISTEN TO AUTISTIC VOICES
autistic voices have been silenced, pushed away, hidden and spoken over by allistics which have resulted in higher suicide rates, lower life expectancies and higher rates of ptsd, depression and anxiety.
“we do not need your voices, we need our voices to be heard” - chloe hayden
the best way to learn about autism and how you can be a true ally is to ingest books, videos, podcasts and social media posts by actually autistic humans, not allistic run organizations.
please take the time to learn about who we are, what we need and what you can do because no one knows more about autistic people than those who are actually autistic.
DEVOTE TIME TO CONTINUED LEARNING AND SUPPORT
learn about and respect all autistic traits. not just the stereotypical, or quirky, or palatable ones.
take the time to understand and appreciate all facets of autism. Look beyond the stereotypes and embrace the diverse aspects of stimming, sensory triggers, meltdowns, communication and/or speech differences, restroom issues, challenges with daily activities, etc.
and please.. when educating yourself on these traits, respect them and do so without perpetuating stigma or passing judgment.
RESEARCH BEFORE YOU SUPPORT
may organizations, including very popular (yet harmful) national organizations will be celebrated and supported this month.
recognize and respect that some of the things typically associated with or representing autism (like puzzle pieces, the color blue, autism speaks, cure talk, etc.) have ableist and harmful histories and are not preferred by most of the autistic community.
make sure the organization(s) you support are run by and approved by autistic people. make sure they have a track record for actually supporting and contributing to autistic people.
a majority of us prefer the infinity symbol, the colors red, gold, or rainbow, autistic-led organizations and supports over cures.
DO NOT SUPPORT AUTISM SPEAKS
this month, autism speaks will be spoken about, shared and promoted all over social media. do. not. support. them.
autism speaks is a hate group. autism speaks wants to eradicate autistic people. their funding goes towards “curing” autism and prenatal tests so autistic children are never born.
autism speaks ad campaigns feature a woman attempting suicide because she has an autistic child and the voiceover says “i am autism. i will ruin your marriage. i work faster than pediatric aids and cancer.” do not give them your money.
MAKE A PLAN FOR AFTER APRILS ENDS
april is only 30 out of 365 days per year.
we appreciate your help, love and support this month but we need accommodations and real allies every day of the year, not just when it’s trending on social media.
april is usually called “autism awareness month” and while it is so important to spread awareness and understanding around the truth about autism, we need autism acceptance, inclusion, respect, advocacy and justice.
true allies will make a plan to continue implementing these things after autism awareness + acceptance month ends.
as we celebrate autism awareness and acceptance month, let's remember that support for autistic individuals should extend far beyond the month of april. let's commit to listening to autistic voices, educating ourselves about autism, and supporting organizations that are run by and approved by autistic people. let's embrace autism acceptance, inclusion, respect, advocacy, and justice every day of the year. together, we can create a more understanding and inclusive world for autistic individuals.
