Today is world autism awareness day.

If you ask someone 'are you aware that autism is a thing that exists?', I think the vast majority will say 'yes'.

Awareness isn't enough. Whilst most people are aware of autism, very few seem to understand it. Even from a purely academic point of view. Many do not know that autistic people are likely to have sensory processing difficulties. Many do not know about the various comorbidities that occur alongside ASD. Many know nothing of the problems autistic people have with routine changes, or the anxiety an autistic person may feel in ambiguous or new situations. Many know absolutely nothing about stimming, or special interests, or meltdowns or shutdowns.

Even fewer know about the lived experiences of autistic people. Few know of the experiences of their parents, other than the occasional story in the news or media.

I know about my experiences. I do not know what every autistic person experiences because, hey, I'm not every autistic person. I don't know what it's like to be non-speaking. Ido Kedar and Amy Sequenzia do, and write eloquently about their experiences. I don't know what it's like to have the medical comorbidities many autistic people have, such as Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Other autistic people do.

We don't need autism awareness. We need autism acceptance and understanding.

Here's the thing. I like being autistic. I would not ‘get rid’ of my autism. Some parts are really difficult (such as sensory overload, anxiety over routine changes, meltdowns, etc). But what makes everything way, way more difficult is other people's reactions. When people work to understand you, and accept that what you're saying, what you're experiencing, is real, it makes everything a lot easier. It makes adaptations much more possible.

So for autism acceptance day, I ask you to listen. Listen to what autistic people say about their experiences. Listen to what their parents say about their experiences in the SEN world.

Don't dismiss something you don't understand. Being aware of autism isn't enough. Listen to what the people themselves are saying, and try to see the world from their perspective. (And yes, I'm aware I'm literally telling you to develop your theory of mind 😅).

Accept that every person is different, every experience is unique, but some do occur frequently in autistic people. And just accept that it is real for that person. Just because the sound of an ambulance doesn't hurt you, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt me. Just because you can easily change your schedule, doesn't mean it doesn't fill others with anxiety.

Oh, and wash your hands. Seriously.