Suffering. Treatment. Cure. Risk. Deficits. Challenges. Behavioral problems. Impairments. Delays. Difficulties.
Words like these have been used to describe autism for far too long — and we know that much less flattering language isn't rare, either. These are just some words I've taken from some of the older articles SteadyHealth has published on the topic of autism, like this one about synthetic oxytocin in the treatment of autism, this slideshow about the 10 things children with autism want you to know, and this overview of treatment for autism spectrum disorder. SteadyHealth was not alone in framing autism in this way, and many platforms still continue to use similar language to this day.
If you've never met an autistic person, at least to your knowledge, you would be forgiven for seeing autism as a tragic disease that makes "affected individuals" and everyone around them miserable; as an evil to be eradicated.
Autistic people — whom you'd be more likely to call "people with autism", but that's a whole other debate — would seem to you to be unhappy, incapable, impaired, cognitively-challenged, misery fests. It follows from that that, should you, with this limited background knowledge, discover that your child may be autistic, you would be incredibly frightened.
What Is Autistic Pride (Day)?
Autistic Pride Day — June 18 — was first conceived and celebrated by the organization Aspies for Freedom in 2005. "Aspies", by the way, refers to Asperger's Syndrome, a previously distinctly recognized form of autism typically characterized by a high IQ and exceptional verbal ability, but which has been integrated into a unified autism diagnosis since the dawn of the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
Autistic Pride Day is there for autistic people to celebrate their "neurodiversity and differences", as its founders say, adding: "It is important for us to spend a day each year enjoying our autism with our family and friends, whether online or offline, because there can be so many negatives in the media about autism, we feel it is important to rebalance with positive events."
Wait, What is Neurodiversity?
Autism is a difference in the way a brain works, which leads to many of the autistic traits that you may have observed in someone you love. "Neuro" refers to that, while "diversity" recognizes that we're all different. Neurodiversity is essentially a paradigm, or way of thinking, that holds that differences may certainly mean challenges, but they definitely do not have to mean inferiority. In fact, some of the things that come with having a radically different brain are wonderful; they make people see the world in a unique way, allowing them to make unique contributions.
Neurodiversity is not just about autism. This umbrella term also covers things like dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and sometimes other conditions that most people typically think of as mental illnesses.
The neurodiversity paradigm does not shy away from the fact that the world as we all know and experience it has evolved to serve the majority of people — people who do not have autism or otherwise differently-wired brains. This can make life hard, in terms of social challenges, physical challenges, and sensory challenges. It can lead to missed opportunities, for neurodiverse people and the world at large, that embracing differences could perhaps hope to fix one day.
Being neurodiverse, or in this case autistic, does not, however, automatically make a person impaired or deficient. Just different. Autistic Pride Day celebrates that difference, because there's a lot to be celebrated. Autistic people may be uniquely creative, organized, visionary, or skilled, but above all, they're just people — living and experiencing the world in their own way. That'd be a lot easier if more people actively embraced differences, rather than seeing them just as problems that need to be fixed.
Wait, But Isn't Autism a Disability?
Yes, autism can be a disability. Challenges, some of which may be severe, can arise both from intrinsic autistic traits such as sensory overstimulation, meltdowns, and rigid thinking, and from external factors like crowded environments, people who think you're just not good enough, and approaches to education that simply don't work for the autistic mind.
This is where we meet two other paradigms — the social vs medical model of disability.
At its core, the medical model would hold that the individual is impaired and should be "fixed", to the best of the healthcare system's ability, to allow them to fit into society and take full part in it. The social model of disability approaches things differently; instead, society should be fixed in order to make it a healthier and easier place for people with diverse needs to live in.
In other words, by embracing autism as a difference, and seeking ways to make society more inviting, wonderful things could happen. Autistic people could still, as needed and desired, work on particular challenges, but would not find the same roadblocks every step of the way.
They'd be able to thrive in environments tailored to their needs, in a society that recognizes their value and worth.
Is Neurodiversity a Pipe Dream?
Probably. Neurotypical people are not nearly notorious enough for being averse to change, while autistic people are known for this trait. Embracing autism and other differences would require that change. Neurotypicals are in the majority, and are thus needed for this process. Strides are being made in this direction, but we're not there yet.
In the meantime, you — yes, you — can start by learning more by listening to actually autistic people and learning about their experiences and needs. Much work remains to be done, but that's as good a place to start as any.