Autism Acceptance Month: How to Participate

What is Autism Acceptance Month?

Autism Acceptance Month is celebrated each year throughout the month of April.

It is a time to celebrate neurodiversity and promote understanding and inclusion for Autistic individuals. Word Autism Day is internationally recognized on April 2nd.

Autism Awareness vs. Autism Acceptance

In recent years, the month of April has changed from using the title Autism Awareness Month to Autism Acceptance Month. Many people have wondered, what is the difference?

With autism awareness, the focus was aimed towards informing and educating the general public about autism, its symptoms, and its impact on individuals and families.

Autism acceptance goes beyond awareness and places emphasis on understanding, inclusion, and equal opportunity. It focuses on supporting and valuing Autistic individuals by recognizing their unique strengths and challenges.

How to Participate in Autism Acceptance Month

There are many ways to participate in Autism Acceptance Month this April! One of the primary ways to participate is through education and listening to the voices of Autistic individuals and their families. Check out some of the following helpful resources (many with links):

Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)

ASAN is an organization that is run by and for Autistic individuals. It is a disability rights organization that celebrates and promotes Autistic community and culture. They have been involved in leadership training for Autistic self-advocates, making educational resources, and policy and legal advocacy.

Autism Society

The Autism Society is a national organization that has aimed to support Autistic individuals and their families for over 50 years. They also provide resources and an affiliate network across the United States.

Autistic Women and Non-Binary Network (AWN)

AWN is a non-profit organization that is committed to inclusivity and dispelling fears and misinformation about an autism diagnosis. They also focus on transformative and restorative justice in disability spaces.

National Autistic Society (NAS)

The NAS is a UK-based organization that provides advice and guidance and promotes societal understanding of autism. They focus on public understanding of autism by helping businesses, local authorities, and the government provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.

The Art of Autism

The Art of Autism is a non-profit that showcases the talents of Autistic individuals through art and creativity. This organization posts art from Autistic artists all over the world! They have received contributions from 800+ artists, bloggers, and poets. Email submissions to: info@artautism.com

Autism acceptance and education also have a large social media presence! Following popular hashtags (#AutismAcceptanceMonth, #AutismAcceptance, #neurodiversity) on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, and Instagram provides more opportunities to join the conversation and stay updated on events and initiatives.

Webinars, Workshops, & Newsletters

Many organizations (such as the ones listed above) host events related to autism education, acceptance, and neurodiversity. Many Autistic affiliated websites also provide blog posts and opportunities to subscribe to newsletter content.

Recent Autism Data & Statistics

As of 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the following data based on estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network:

About 1 in every 36 children are identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
ASD is 4x more common among males than females
ASD occurs within all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups

Let’s continue to amplify autistic voices and promote acceptance this month and beyond!

Reference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (retrieved 2023, March 30). Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html