Autism Acceptance Day 2026
Content warnings: ableism and eugenics, filicide/murder, current America stuff, anti-vax stuff, NDIS, Thriving Kids, minor The Pitt S1 spoilers
Happy Autism Acceptance Day and Month!
First I'll yap about the political landscape Autism-wise in the past year (which will largely have a general disability slant), then move to the much happier note of media rep and the work of activists.
The 2nd Trump Administration has continued their garbage with spreading misinformation about Paracetamol and circumcision (I wish I was joking) causing Autism and leucovorin supposedly curing it. Further, they have continued pushing anti-vax policy. All of this is not to mention the incredibly bigoted, particularly racist and xenophobic, depravity of ICE, which has directly harassed, assaulted, and kidnapped Disabled, including Autistic, Americans. With ICE functioning as a modern Gestapo, it feels a good time to remind people that Nazi eugenics that killed 300 000 Disabled people was heavily inspired by America's actions prior (Buck v. Bell has never been overturned, what are we actually doing?).
Australia isn't doing as bad, but has had its fair share of immorality. Noah Johnston should still be alive. Cutting NDIS funding can absolutely be a matter of life and death. A welfare program is expensive. But it is also what a moral nation does, not to mention that, if your concern is purely economic and you truly do not care about us (as it seems many do not), the NDIS puts $2.50 into the economy for every $1 invested. As I mentioned in my previous post about filicide, Leon and Otis should also still be alive - those parents are not people I have sympathy for.
Back on the topic of NDIS cuts, Thriving Kids is such a step backwards. Our community fought so incredibly hard for federal disability support prior to the NDIS' start in 2013, and seeing it unravel for Autistic minors and go back to the states is deeply insulting. Also insulting is Mark Butler's implication that Autism disappears when you turn 18 (I can attest that it doesn't), as well as the inaccessibility to wheelchair users of his office (I can't think of a better symbol of the inapprorpiateness of him holding the position he does).
That was a lot. Lighter stuff now:
Rep-wise, (obligatory disclaimer that the stuff I will talk about is not necessarily published/released in the last year, but read/watched by me within that time), we have Anna Zoe Quirke's Something to be Proud Of (peak, although I have a few nitpicks). The other notable rep (yeah not many this year, busy with uni) is Dr Mel King and others from The Pitt (admittedly this is just S1 because I have only just started S2). It's lovely to have an Autistic adult character who is highly competent and not infantilised, but also not doing the savant trope. It's also great to have ethical rep in Autistic side characters of Terrence and Becca (woo good HSN rep for the latter).
I also have S3 of Heartbreak High to watch (hoping they do Quinni better than last season and she actually like has stuff to do) and a bunch of books to read. Note to self to cover as much as possible next year.
Activism-wise, Sydeny Zarlengo continues to be the best.
