WELCOME to the first Autism Acceptance Month blog post of 2024! Today, I wanted to take a few steps back & go over some autism terms & what they mean. I use many of these terms throughout my blog & I try to provide definitions as I write. It's always good to take the time to pause & review what some of these terms mean though. And there's no better time to do that than when we're kicking off Autism Acceptance Month! Important Autism Terms & Definitions:
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Today is my one year anniversary of me finding out I'm autistic (I can't believe it!), so in celebration of that, here are some things I've learned over the past year:
When you think of autism, chances are, colorful puzzle pieces come to mind. However, there is great controversy among the autism community regarding the use of puzzle pieces in relation to autism. Many autistic people, myself included, dislike using puzzle pieces to symbolize autism. In fact, I even educated my mom on this very important issue just a few days ago. When I was talking with her about my plans for Splashed With Water, she asked me if I was going to be creating designs with puzzle pieces. She was surprised to learn that I wasn't & that is one of the things that is going to make my business unique. Because many autistic people don't like what the puzzle piece symbolizes, I wanted to create a place where autistic people would be able to shop for autism acceptance items that align with their beliefs. (With the exception of one puzzle piece design, which shines light on the fact that we are people, not puzzles that need to be solved.) My mom works in an elementary school where people wear puzzle pieces during the month of April in support of those in the autism community, so she was confused about why puzzle pieces would be worn at her school when so many autistic people dislike its use. One of the reasons I wanted to create this blog & boutique is to solve issues like this, by sharing how one autistic woman thinks & feels. The History of The Autism Puzzle Piece:
The Meanings of The New Autism Symbols:
You've probably heard of Autism Speaks before. After all, they're the leading autism "advocacy" organization in this country. There have been weeks where I haven't been able to turn on the tv or the radio in the car without seeing or hearing an Autism Speaks advertisement. People with kind & loving hearts run marathons to raise money for, donate to, & organize fundraisers for the popular organization without knowing the truth behind them. Autistic people do not support Autism Speaks, I certainly don't support them, & you shouldn't either. Shortly after I "came out" as autistic, I received an email from a member of my family letting me know that she was going to make a contribution to the organization. Luckily, she had not yet made the donation, so I was able to point her in the direction of other autism advocacy organizations that are much more deserving of her support & money. (See below↓.) Why Not To Support Autism Speaks:
Great Autistic-Led Organizations That Deserve Our Support Include:
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AuthorHello! My name is Kim, I didn't know I was autistic until I was in my thirties, & this is my story. Categories
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