Autism Acceptance is saying that autism is not inherently bad or inherently good. It's saying that to make such a statement is just as nonsensical as classifying neurotypicality as inherently good or bad. It's accepting Autistic people and autistic people and people with autism as people who are wired differently, and that's fine. A cat is not a defective dog. A linux computer is not a defective Windows machine. An Autistic person is not a defective neurotypical.
Autism Acceptance is saying that Autistic people are not just like neurotypical people, that we never will be, and that's OK.
Autism Acceptance does line up well with what many neurodiversity advocates aim for- we are wired differently, and we support the strengths people have and we find ways to accommodate for the weaknesses, both those which are considered disabilities and those which are simply considered differences.
Autism Acceptance means supporting the Autistic person in learning the things they want to learn and in gaining the skills they need for what they want to do.
Autism Acceptance is the radical assertion that at the level of broad, overarching principles, what Autistic people need isn't that different. We need to be accepted for who we are. We need to hear that we're OK, we need to hear that the things we have trouble with don't make us broken or lazy or horrible people. We need people's actions towards us to reflect that. We need people to listen when we say we need help, and we need people to listen when we say we don't. We need to be taken as the whole people that we are, and we need to be met with the understanding that we are the experts in our own lives and abilities.
Would you want to go without those things? No, I didn't think so.
Regardless of neurology, people need those things.
Autism Acceptance is just reminding us that Autistic people are people, and that as such, we need those things too.
Autism Acceptance is saying that Autistic people are not just like neurotypical people, that we never will be, and that's OK.
Autism Acceptance does line up well with what many neurodiversity advocates aim for- we are wired differently, and we support the strengths people have and we find ways to accommodate for the weaknesses, both those which are considered disabilities and those which are simply considered differences.
Autism Acceptance means supporting the Autistic person in learning the things they want to learn and in gaining the skills they need for what they want to do.
Autism Acceptance is the radical assertion that at the level of broad, overarching principles, what Autistic people need isn't that different. We need to be accepted for who we are. We need to hear that we're OK, we need to hear that the things we have trouble with don't make us broken or lazy or horrible people. We need people's actions towards us to reflect that. We need people to listen when we say we need help, and we need people to listen when we say we don't. We need to be taken as the whole people that we are, and we need to be met with the understanding that we are the experts in our own lives and abilities.
Would you want to go without those things? No, I didn't think so.
Regardless of neurology, people need those things.
Autism Acceptance is just reminding us that Autistic people are people, and that as such, we need those things too.
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