What would Acceptance Mean for Me?
Autism Acceptance Month is over now. We have made a lot of progress, but we are still trying to get acceptance all year, including April. A lot of people in the community have made great posts on what acceptance means, but I think I’m going to write a post from a more personal perspective.
What would Acceptance Mean for Me?
People wouldn’t think I’m weird when I stim via echolalia, body movements, or using my stim tools.
People wouldn’t laugh overtly when I do something outside of social norms.
People wouldn’t blame me for having a meltdown.
People wouldn’t treat me like a little kid who doesn’t know anything.
People wouldn’t tell me to grow up when I still like cute things and Disney.
People wouldn’t dismiss my struggles because they can do things much harder and for longer than me.
People wouldn’t force me to eat foods I know I couldn’t and wouldn’t mock and make me feel bad for having difficulty eating.
People wouldn’t treat me like a fuddy dud because I don’t like to do things as much.
People wouldn’t force me to make eye contact and recognize I’m still listening even when I’m not looking at them.
People wouldn’t devalue my special interests and make me feel bad about them.
People wouldn’t try to take away who I am and say it is bad that I’m autistic.
Instead of lashing out, people would correct me calmly and gently when I do something “wrong”.
I would have access to therapy that is knowledgeable of how autism works.
People would try to understand the full meaning of whatever I’m saying.
People would be clear with the words around me so I don’t get confused.
People would be okay if I wasn’t up to talking at the moment.
People would try to find alternate forms of communication when I was nonverbal.
People would be understanding of my sensory issues and when they notice I’m getting overwhelmed, try to change it so it doesn’t go too far.
People would be understanding of the jobs I can do and the jobs I cannot, so I would get something that is the right fit for me.
People would be understanding of my struggles with executive dysfunction and wouldn’t tell me I’m lazy.
People would be understanding of my anxiety.
People would be understanding that sometimes I don’t like to go out as much or be with a lot of people.
People would give me plenty of warning before any new event because they know broken routines are upsetting to me.
People would gently remind me so that I take care of myself because it’s hard for me to feel my internal cues.
People would respect me as a person with full autonomy.
People would respect me even if they see me as “low-functioning”.
People would believe my struggles even if they see me as “high-functioning”.
People would believe me when I say I’m autistic without seeing it as a bad thing.
People would see my unique ideas and thoughts as worth considering, even if odd.
People would understand I cannot help the way I am and the way I act.
If I was fully accepted, all of how I exist as an autistic person would be respected, understood, and recognized.
Day 30 of Autism Acceptance Month 2018
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