Autism Awareness vs. Acceptance

April marks Autism Awareness Month. Every parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and those with Autism Spectrum Disorder will tell you that every day, every month of every year is Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a lifelong disability. According to Webster's Dictionary, acceptance means 1. the act of taking or receiving something offered. 2. favorable reception; approval; favor. 3. the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory. 4. the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable. Awareness means 1. the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness. 

Awareness is knowing that something is happening. 
Acceptance is seeing a person for who they are. 
Awareness is focused on shortcomings or deficits. 
Acceptance is focused on what you're good at and what can you do for yourself. 
Awareness means you can identify a neurodiversity. 
Acceptance means you're able to talk to neurodiverse individuals and gain understanding and compassion. 
Awareness is trying to cure me. 
Acceptance is not trying to cure me. 

Image created by Maisie Moore she/they - Autism Advocate @mini.moores

Sources:
https://nsadvocate.org/2018/03/20/autism-awareness-or-acceptance-two-very-different-mindsets/
https://www.instagram.com/mini.moores/​

Written by Emily Wachter

Emily Wachter is the owner and entrepreneur of Photography through Autism. She is a lifelong writer and photographer with a passion for disability rights, social justice, and psychology. She is a college student at Carroll Community College with dreams of being a social worker. Emily has spoken on a number of disability panels on living with autism and experiences of bullying. She is involved with a number of disability groups in Maryland, including YoungLife Capernaum, Disability Express Group, and Special Olympics. In her free time, she likes spending time with family and friends, coloring, and shopping.