April is coming… my Autistic thoughts about Autism Awareness and Autism Month

Years ago, on my first April, knowing my Autistic brain, I was naively excited about having a month to talk about Autism.

April, also known as “Autism Month” or “Autism Awareness Month” is just around the corner… but what does that mean (for actual Autistic People)?

For many Autistic people, April can be a source of frustration and pain (because instead of promoting acceptance and understanding, traditional awareness campaigns often perpetuate harmful stereotypes, contributing to our continued stigmatization).

Years ago, on my first April, knowing my Autistic brain, I was naively excited about having a month to talk about Autism.

Unfortunately, that excitement quickly turned to frustration and dread once the reality of this month became apparent.

The reality is that this month is only one month, during which organizations and people (who don't know enough about Autistic People to speak without doing harm to us) suddenly shift their focus to Autistics, forgetting we exist the other 11 months of the year.

Because many of these passers-by are not Autistic themselves, they often share and amplify harmful messages that perpetuate Awareness, fear, and stigma- thinking they are being helpful without understanding why what they share is harmful.

This is one reason why many Autistic People are asking our allies to move beyond "being aware of Autism." Many of us feel as if Awareness isn't enough.

Being AWARE of something is not the same as taking action.

Thanks for listening,

-Lyric Lark Rivera