Many autistic adults are speaking out online and elsewhere about 'Autism Awareness'.
Many of us are worn out dealing with it.
Sorry, but we are. Truly.
You see, when research was done, 97% of people are 'aware' of autism. Awareness is not the problem.
The problem is the endless negativity. The problem is the organisations that see us as a tragedy, a disaster, a destroyer of lives. The problem is the charities that promote the idea that we are all incompetent, all drains on the economy, all lacking in empathy "Are you Autism Aware? Give us your money and we can stop these tragedies destroying humanity!"
We have seen such powerful research recently about the sheer number of autistic people who choose to end their own lives. They do so after a lifetime of hearing how much of a 'burden' they are to everyone. How much of a disappointment that they were born different to others. How much of a waste of space they are, compared to others.
We have also seen such powerful research this week into how much empathy autistic people have. How much we hate hurting others. How moral we are, compared to others, on average.
So, we need to stop this nonsense. Fast. It is horrible. Just horrible.
Every single autistic person is a wonderful and much loved person, with their own gifts to bring to the world. No, I don't mean 'amazing skill sets'. I mean gifts. The gift of being ourselves. The gift of people learning about themselves, through their relationship with us. The gift of love, of friendship, of sharing life together on this planet.
Look at your autistic family members, friends and colleagues, and affirm that humanity.
Please don't support cure-organisations that ask you to wear a lot of blue. We don't want you to wear blue. It is a colour of hate for so many of us, because of what it has represented.
God loves us all, very much. Just as we are.
