From Stigma to Strength: Celebrating Autistic Identity

FROM STIGMA TO STRENGTH: CELEBRATING AUTISTIC IDENTITY

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a month-long observance that should be used to promote acceptance and inclusion for individuals with ASD. Neurodivergence theory teaches that we should accept people for how their brains work, no matter how much they diverge from the norm.

As one of the characters says in His Hands Were Quiet:

Do you have any idea what it feels like to be punished for who you are? For the way your brain was formed? Something you have absolutely no control over?

P.D. Workman, His Hands Were Quiet

And then again later:

Maybe just because our brains are different, that doesn’t mean that we are defective. That we need to be reprogrammed somehow.

P.D. Workman, His Hands Were Quiet

Instead of pathologizing autistic behavior, can we celebrate and accommodate it? Can we recognize the strengths and talents of autistic individuals and provide them with the support and resources they need to thrive? Maybe we can listen to their experiences and perspectives, and create inclusive and accessible environments that value diversity and promote acceptance and understanding.