4/24/2017 HowtoObserveAutismAcceptanceinApril:15Steps

HowtoObserveAutismAcceptanceinApril
TwoMethods: SocialNetworking BeyondtheComputer

AprilisAutismAcceptanceMonth!Showyoursupportofautisticpeopleonlineandinpersonwiththeseeasysteps.

Method
SocialNetworking
1

1 Researchautisticpeople'sopinions.Theycanridyouofcommonmisconceptionsandteachyouhowtobea
goodally.

2 Spreadtheword.TellpeopleaboutAutismAcceptanceMonthviasocialnetworkingorinperson.Sharelinksto
autisticrunorganizations,suchasAutismSelfAdvocacyNetworkandtheAutismWomen'sNetwork.
Bewaryoforganizationsthataren'trunbyautisticpeopleandtalkabout"curingautism"orhowautism"ruins
families."Thisrhetoricisdamagingtoautisticpeople,andonlyaddstothestigmaandshamethattheyface.

3 Sharearticleswrittenbyautisticpeople.Autisticwriterscanoffergreatinsightsintotheirdifferences,their
needs,andhowlifefeelstothem.Herearesomeexcellentblogsbyautisticpeople(andafewpositiveparents):
MusingsofanAspie
TheCaffeinatedAutistic
Realsocialskills
AutisticHoya
Emma'sHopeBook
WeAreLikeYourChild
ParentingAutisticChildrenwithLoveandAcceptance

4 Shareinformationaboutrespectingautisticpeople.Manynonautisticpeopleholdstereotypesofautisticsas
intentionallyrude,lazyindividualswhoarementallyfiveyearsold.Herearesomeexamplesofinformationthatis
usefultononautisticpeople:
Manytimes,autisticpeopledon'trealizethatthey'rebeingrude.Thebestwaytodealwiththisistoignoreit,or
takethemasideandpolitelyexplainwhytheiractionswereinappropriate.Iftheyhurtyourfeelings,sayso.
Theywillprobablyfeelsurprisedandremorsefultohearit.
Stimming(flappinghands,rocking,etc.)isanormalandhealthybehavior.Don'ttreatpeopledifferently
becauseofit,anddefinitelydon'ttellthemtostop.
Talkingdowntosomeoneisalwaysrude,whetherthey'reautisticornot.Assumethatyourautisticfriendis
capableofunderstandingjustaswellastheirpeers.
Meltdownsaren'tfun.Autisticpeopledon'tlikethemeither.[1]Sometimes,thebestmeltdowncureissomequiet
timealone.
Listentoautisticpeople.Iftheysaytheycan'tdosomething,thentheycan'tdosomething.Iftheysay
somethinghurts,thenstopit.Iftheysaytheirtherapistisabusingthem,theymeanit.Autisticpeopleknow
themselves.

5 Sharestoriesofcoolautisticpeople.Manyautisticpeopleareusedtohearingthatthey'reburdensomeand
inferior.Portrayanalternatepictureofautism,whereautisticpeoplearedifferentbutequalmembersofthehuman
species.Giveevidencethatautisticpeoplecansucceedandlivehappylives.
Lookforautisticwriters,scientists,activists,etc.innewsandentertainmentarticles.

http://www.wikihow.com/ObserveAutismAcceptanceinApril 1/3
4/24/2017 HowtoObserveAutismAcceptanceinApril:15Steps

BlogssuchasDisabilityFestsharelovablecharactersinfictionwhoaredisabled.Sharingcoolautistic
charactersalsohelps.
Knowingofotherautisticpeoplegreatlyimprovesautisticchildren's(andadults'!)selfesteem.

6 Promoteautisticpeople.Maybeyouhaveanautisticfriendwhoblogs,ormaybeyourautisticsiblingreally
wantstoshareaquotewiththeworld.Offertopromotethemonsocialmedia.
Alwaysaskfirst!Neveroutsomeoneasautisticwithouttheirexplicitpermission.

7 Findautisticledprojectstoparticipatein.Autisticpeoplehaveorganizedmanydifferentonlinecommunity
activities,andyouarewelcometojoininandshowyoursupport(whetheryouareautisticornot).
#RedInsteadtakeaselfiewearingredtoshowyoursupportofautismacceptance.
Taketheautismacceptancepledge.
Searchautisticrunwebsitestoseewhatthey'responsoringorparticipatingin.

8 Usetheneurodiversitysymbol(arainbowinfinitysign)toshowyoursupport.Itwasdevelopedbyautistic
peopleandisallaboutacceptingdiversity.
Thepuzzlepieceand"lightitupblue"areassociatedwithharmfulgroupsandarecontroversial/dislikedinthe
community.

Method
BeyondtheComputer
2

1 Alwaysresearchanorganizationbeforeparticipatinginoneofitsevents.Someautismrelated
organizations,suchasAutismSpeaks,promoteharmfulrhetoricthatreinforcestheabuseofautisticpeople.
Alwayschecktomakesurethatyourparticipationwillhelp,nothurt.
Organizationsrunbyautisticpeopleareusuallygood.
Organizationssupportedbytheautisticcommunityareusuallygood.
Searchingforthekeywords"______controversy"or"_____hategroup"canhelpyoudetermineifautistic
peopleprotestthegroup'smessage.

2 Considerdonatingtoanautisticrunorganization.Organizationsrunbyautisticpeoplecandoalotofgood
work:trainingpeople,teachingaboutautismacceptance,creatingpositivemedia,buildingcommunity,and
supportingautisticpeopleandtheirfamilies.Yourmoneycanhelpautisticpeopleeverywhere.

3 Ifyourunaclub,company,charity,orotherorganization,considerpartneringwithanautisticrun
organization.Thiswillhelpspreadpositivemessages,endstigma,andboostautisticpeople'sefforts(notto
mentiongeneratingpositivePR).

4 Askautisticpeopleforideasforhowtobehelpful.Theymayhaveexcellentsuggestions.

5 Treatautisticpeoplewithcompassionandrespect.Acceptthefactthattheyaredifferent,andappreciatethem
forwhotheyare.
Ifeveryonedidthis,therewouldbenoneedforAutismAcceptanceMonth.

6 Considermakingautisticfriends.Autisticpeopleingeneralarepassionate,loyal,genuine,andfunny.Youmay
besurprisedatwhatgoodfriendstheycanbe!

7 TryorganizinganactivityforAutismAcceptanceMonth.Thiscouldinvolveaconcert,anautisticspeaker,a
fundraiser,orsomethingassimpleaspaintingpicturestogetherthatcelebrateneurodiversity.

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4/24/2017 HowtoObserveAutismAcceptanceinApril:15Steps

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Tips

Alwaysassumethatautisticpeoplearecompetent,capable,andwellmeaning.Flappinghandsornotspeakingdon't
equatesomeonetoababy.
Wheneveryou'rewritingsomething,think:"Howwouldanautisticpersonfeelwhilereadingthis?Wouldtheyfeelaccepted
oralienated?"Ifyouthinkthattheautisticpersonwouldfeelgood,you'redoingagreatjob.

Warnings

Neversupport"curingautism,""fixing"people,children"takenaway"byautism,orthepoorpoorfamilies"afflicted"withan
autisticchild.Autismisafundamentalpartofautisticpeople'slivesandexperiences.Don'tdemonizewhotheyare.
AffiliatingyourgroupwithanorganizationthatfightsautismwillgenerateverybadPR.Expectthecommunitytomobilize
withletterwritingcampaigns,socialmediamovements,andboycotts.Alwayschooseorganizationscarefully.

SourcesandCitations

http://autisticadvocacy.org/
http://autismwomensnetwork.org/
ThinkingPerson'sGuidetoAutism:OnAutismOrgs

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