This month is April. April showers bring may flowers! A lot of us think April is special because spring is here. But April is also very special because it’s Autism Acceptance Month! This is a great month to celebrate our Autistic friends who make our world better every day!
What is Autism?
Some people are born Autistic. This means they are born with brains that work differently from others. Autistic people may communicate differently, interact differently, may be interested in unique things, or may see the world in a different ways. Because Autistic people have these different experiences, they may act a little differently from some people, and that’s okay. Maybe someone reading this is Autistic even, and that’s great!
Here is a great video about what Autism is:
What is Autism Acceptance?
Autism Acceptance is all about accepting and being grateful for Autistic people just as they are. The world needs all different types of people. And acceptance is an important part of inclusion. Including people means not leaving them out of anything. No one likes to be left out. One way you can show Acceptance is being a friend to someone who is Autistic! You can include them in your life in different ways! Autistic friendship is just like other friendships; you have to accept the person just as they are and they accept you as you are. By meeting in the middle and loving your differences, you get to have fun, learn, and have good experiences together!
Here is a great video about having friends with Autism:
How can I celebrate Autism Acceptance Month?
There are lots of different ways to celebrate Autism Acceptance! A lot of Autistic people like us to wear red for Acceptance and use the infinity symbol ∞ this month to celebrate their wonderful differences. Some families to Autistic people like to wear blue and use puzzle pieces to celebrate. Different people with different backgrounds tend to celebrate in different ways. You can talk to your family about how you want to celebrate. You can attend an event, make a new friend, or learn more about Autism! It’s also very important to listen to Autistic people directly. Autistic people, just like everyone, have important thoughts to share.
Here are some different kids talking about being Autistic:
Here is a famous person named Temple Grandin talking about being Autistic:
There are lots of great books by, for, and about Autistic people. You can browse these lists for ideas about what you’d like to ask your librarian to help you find:
What next?
Even when April is over, you don’t have to stop learning about Autism or making Autistic friends. Autism Acceptance is a great thing all year long! Being different is great and you can celebrate differences every day.
What’s your favorite way to celebrate differences? Tell Eclipse and Bodhi in the comments below or on social media!
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Written by Hannah Gomez, MEd, BCBA
Bio: Hi! I’m Hannah. I’m a Behavior Analyst. I use behavior science therapy to help Autistic children move towards independence and what’s important to them. Therapies are ways that people learn to deal with the ups and downs of the world in ways that work for them. Everyone can benefit from different types of therapy. And behavior science therapy (sometimes called ABA therapy or ACT therapy) is great for a lot of people, not just Autistic people. If you have questions about this blog or what I do, don’t hesitate to use the CONTACT page and Bodhi will fly your message to me!