Hey, thought I’d give an update for those of you wondering how this shook out. After the library didn’t contact me for a few days I decided to head down there to see what was going on and:
they’ve changed the display! I have to say, I wasn’t sure what the expect. I thought if they did anything it would just to be to change the colour and hopefully the puzzle pieces, but they actually changed the books and info that they have on there too, Including:
A notice explicitly debunking autism as an illness, and advocating how autism is different for everyone and always requires individual support
Books written by autistic people
Books about helping your kids with the challenges they might face, rather than guides for coping with having an autistic child
Which I thought had a very suspect title turned out to have this passage inside:
You can even see that they’ve decided to promote the NAS, a society dedicated to helping autistic people live the lives of their choosing.
I’m very happy with the changes that have been made here. And I think it’s a good reminder that just because someone gets something wrong, doesn’t mean that they’re bad people. The important thing is being willing to listen and learn, and the staff at this library have done just that.
This feels to me like a good way to start autistic pride month. And remember, if you want to support people with autism this season - or throughout the rest of the year - be sure that you are speaking with us, not for us or over us.
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