April is Autism Acceptance Month. Originally, the name was Autism Awareness Month, created by an advocacy group to educate people about autism.
Today, instead of education, awareness means that parents should fear autism, that society should pity autistics, that autism is a tragedy.
A few years ago, autistic self-advocates decided the word acceptance should replace awareness, pity, fear and tragedy.
The reason is obvious: Most people are aware of autism, but most autistics are not accepted, understood, included. Besides that, awareness and April bring a parade of scary statistics, tragic future, destroyed families.
All these are myths.
Read more of Amy Sequenzia Rockledge Florida Today letter HERE.
No comments:
Post a Comment