World Autism Acceptance Day

When you hear the word ‘diversity,’ what does it mean to you? Does it make you think about differences of race, gender, cultural background, talents? In today’s world we have become better at celebrating all kinds of difference and recognising the richness this brings to our society, but we often still marginalise and misunderstand people who have a neurological difference or a ‘neurodivergence.’

[1]In April 1970, Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., a psychologist and autism researcher chose the month of April to found Autism Acceptance Month to coincide with, his son’s birthday, as well as the start of spring, a time of new beginnings. Since then, The National Autistic Society and other advocates for the autistic community have been campaigning each year to increase awareness, to speak up for those with the condition and to reduce stigma surrounding the lifelong condition. When the campaign first started, it was called Autism Awareness month, but it has shifted away from simply aiming to make people aware of autism, to aspiring for it to be more accepted as a neurological difference instead.

Today, our understanding of autism is far greater than it was in the 1970s, and with greater understanding of neurological conditions comes higher diagnoses. The stereotype of autism being a condition experienced solely by young white boys is slowly being replaced with the understanding that the autism spectrum spans across genders, races and social class. This neurological condition is said to affect over 1 in every hundred in the UK population or around 700,000 individuals.[2]

However, it is also suggested that t[3]here may be a further 750, 000 adults who are undiagnosed, bringing the number closer to 1,3 million or around 1 in 55 people. Many of those remaining undiagnosed are girls and women, as the condition tends to present so differently in females. [4]Interestingly, the co-occurrence of autism with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stands at around 50-70%, meaning that the condition is often misdiagnosed. Someone who is intensely empathetic and sensitive? They could be autistic. Someone who is articulate and communicates well in their career? They could also be autistic. As autism is a spectrum rather than a linear line, someone might have higher support needs in one particular area than they do in another. There may be some areas in life where someone may excel, but other areas they may need a lot more accommodations. No one autistic person is exactly the same, so it is time to eliminate the stereotypes that are harmful and outdated.

For a long time, girls and women who are autistic have been particularly left under the radar due to them learning to conform or ‘mask’ autistic traits from a young age so that they fit in. Autistic girls are often skilled at learning social cues from intensely studying others and are often people pleasers as a result. There can be a fear around ‘getting it wrong’ or seeming ‘different.’ But if we are a society who celebrates difference, shouldn’t this extend to those with different neurotypes?

Autism Acceptance Month is an occasion to do just that. We can celebrate neurodivergent role models who have been pioneers in their fields, and we can encourage loved ones to be themselves. Where would the world be without the work of people like Bill Gates, Lewis Carroll, Isaac Newton, Hans Christian Andersen, Marie Curie and others? (All of whom exhibited autistic traits and are speculated to have been autistic) There have always been autistic people in the world who have looked at life through a different lens, bringing unique perspectives or ways of doing things. The analogy of comparing neurotypes to different computer operating systems – a Mac compared to a PC, is a slightly cliched one, but helps us to consider that both systems are equally valuable even if they work in different ways.

Thankfully there are also more female autistic role models starting to be depicted in media, books and television, as seen in series such as Geek Girl, A Kind of Spark and Heartbreak High. Having authentic representation of young autistic women using their voices helps to minimise stigma and allow autistic girls to grow in their own self-esteem. Actresses and authors such as Emily Carey, Elle McNicoll, Chloe Hayden and Holly Smale are just a few of these. From a more academic perspective, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith is an excellent speaker and author who creates resources designed to support schools in being more inclusive of neurodivergent students and their range of sensory, social or communication support needs. According to the Beyond Autism website, seven in ten autistic children and young adults said school would be better if more teachers understood autism.

Over the past year, I have taken a special interest in diving deeper into the topic of neurodiversity and found it very helpful to complete a certificate funded by the Free Courses in England site on Understanding Autism. This course explains things such as how autism can impact daily experiences, the discrimination individuals may face and how a positive sensory environment can support someone on the autism spectrum to thrive. It is well worth investing time in, if you are working with autistic children at school, or with adults in the workplace. Other useful resources for learning more about autism and neurodivergence are the Autism Education Trust, Transitional Abilities and The National Autistic Society.

Recently acet UK has also been involved with putting together materials to help autistic and other SEND pupils with RSHE topics such as emotional wellbeing, body boundaries and consent, periods, puberty and healthy relationships. We know young people with additional needs want to have positive, caring relationships with others and there shouldn’t be barriers that stop them from accessing the same information their peers may receive. In June, we will be fundraising to allow us to pilot this work in SEND schools and alternative provision units during the next academic year. If you would like to support us with this project, please get in touch by emailing us at info@acet-uk.com