The Autism Society of America, the United States’ oldest leading grassroots autism organization, is celebrating Autism Acceptance Month (AAM) in April 2021. This month was previously known as Autism Awareness Month, but this year, the Autism Society is taking to social media to assist it in changing the title to Autism Acceptance Month.
In 1970, the organization launched an ongoing national effort to promote autism awareness and to assure that all autistic people are able to achieve the highest quality of life possible. The first annual National Autistic Children’s week commenced in 1972, which evolved into AAM. This year’s campaign is titled “Celebrate Differences,” and it is “designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism.” The 2021 focus is to “provide information and resources for communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.” With the prevalence of autism in the United States rising from being 1 in 125 children (2010) to 1 in 59 children (2020), the need for AAM is greater than ever.
So why the shift from Autism Awareness Month to Autism Acceptance Month? Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America, puts it like this: “While we will always work to spread awareness, words matter as we strive for autistic individuals to live fully in all areas of life. As many individuals and families affected by autism know, acceptance is often one of the biggest barriers to finding and developing a strong support system.” The shift in terminology fosters acceptance to ignite change through improved support and opportunities in education, employment, accessible housing, affordable health care, and comprehensive long-term services. Acceptance is so integral that the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has been referring to April as Autism Acceptance Month since 2011, expressing that accepting autism as a natural condition is “necessary for real dialogue to occur.” The Autism Society of America is also advocating the federal government to officially designate April as “Autism Acceptance Month” since there has never been a formal designation for AAM.
The United Nations has, however, designated April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day that is commemorated internationally. This year, the UN plans on hosting a virtual panel discussion titled “Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World” on April 8, 2021. The panel will consist of individuals on the autism spectrum who have personally experienced challenges in the employment market, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acceptance is something the global population has been and continues to struggle with, but engaging in conversation and learning about one another’s perspectives, we can individually become accepting. And if the global population decides to embrace such a philosophy, our world can be filled with more love and acceptance and less hatred and stigmatism. Let us all aim to be aware and accepting of the global autism community as well as others. It starts with you and educating yourself.
