Autism Awareness vs. Autism Acceptance. What’s the difference?
April has traditionally been known as Autism Awareness Month. However, there has been a growing debate over using the word “awareness” vs. “acceptance.” Read on to learn about the purpose, history, and importance of Autism Acceptance Month.
What is the Purpose of Autism Acceptance Month?
Autism Acceptance Month is about accepting people with autism and respecting their rights. It is about accepting them for who they are –all of them, and not trying to change them to fit into your mold of what you think is acceptable. The purpose is to provide dignity and respect. RELATED: Autism AAC On-The-Go FREEBIE
What is the History of Autism Acceptance Month?
April was widely known as Autism Awareness Month. It was founded in April 1970 by Bernard Rimland PhD. The term was used by many outside the autistic community until Paula C. Durbin-Westby, an autistic disability rights activist, coined the term Autism Acceptance Month in 2011. A decade later in 2021 Christopher Banks, president and CEO of The Autism Society of America, urged the media to follow suit and use the term “acceptance” instead of “awareness.” Understanding the history of Autism Acceptance month is important to understand the impact that it has on the autistic community.
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“Acceptance is when you include (a person with autism) in your activities. Help (them) to develop in that community and get that sense of connection to other people.”
-Christopher Banks, President and CEO of The Autism Society of America
What is the Difference Between Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance?
Many autism advocacy agencies have been using the term “acceptance” instead of “awareness” for over a decade. There has been controversy over the term “awareness.” Some argue that the term refers to knowing that autism exists and for people to just tolerate it. Others argue that awareness also refers to identifying how many people have autism, like it’s a growing epidemic. For example, the CDC reports that 1 in about 8 women will get breast cancer. Using this same terminology for autism makes it seem like it’s something to be afraid of. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) expressed their feelings about the term Awareness vs. Acceptance.
“Autism Acceptance Month was created by and for the autistic community to change the conversation around autism, shifting away from the stigmatizing ‘autism awareness’ language that presents autism as a threat to be countered with vigilance.”
-Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
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As we raise acceptance of autism, it is important to learn to embrace it. Long gone are the days when autism was seen as a curse that needed to be cured. In the past, many organizations and researchers focused on autism as being a deficit and something that should be avoided. Paula C. Curbin-Westby states, “These events often focused on how awful it was to have an autistic child. Research is (and still is) focused on ‘prevention and finding a cure’.” In fact, a prominent autism organization just recently removed the “cure” from their mission statement. As long as we are trying to find a cure, it is sending the message that autism is like a disease. Autism is not like cancer or many other diseases that need to be eradicated. Instead, it should be celebrated.
“Awareness campaigns have historically focused on how many people have autism, or a search for a cure for autism…”
-Clare Milroy, USA Today Journalist
Why is Autism Acceptance Month Important?
As an SLP, I have over 20 years of experience working with autistic children. My understanding and compassion grew with now raising my son with autism. I accept him for who he is and he is amazing.
I think we often get it wrong. Instead of trying to change people with autism; we should learn from them. It is a common misconception that those with autism have no feelings. This couldn’t be any more false. They feel, they see, and they hear everything vividly.
They just may not express it like we do. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care or that they don’t feel. They need to know that we understand them and, most importantly, that we care. RELATED: Debunking 5 Common AAC Myths
In Conclusion
So this April, let’s embrace Autism Acceptance Month and learn to embrace neurodiversity. Autism is not a disease that needs to be cured or a curse that we should be ashamed of. We should learn from one another and appreciate what makes us special. As we learn more about autism, we have learned to welcome differences.
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