
Image: rainbow-y background with the text “Accept me. Don’t be aware of me.”
I don’t need your awareness. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t aware of autism. I don’t need your sugar-coated language. I don’t need you to tell me how autism has touched you. I don’t need you to light it up blue – rather, I need you to not.
I don’t need your awareness. I don’t need you to tell me how hard it is to be autistic. I don’t need you to tell me what it’s like to raise a child who is autistic. I don’t need you to tell me how justified a parent was to murder their child.
I don’t need your awareness. I don’t need you to hold up puzzle pieces. I don’t need you to shout out “but isn’t all awareness good?” But when it’s a company that actually advocates for my death, no, no it isn’t. When it is justifying the murder of my autistic friendly, no, no it isn’t.
What I need is your acceptance. To not turn your head or whisper when I stim in public. To accept that I cannot make eye contact with you. To accept that I script and that it’s the way I’m programmed.
What I need is your acceptance. To know that sometimes I flap my hands. Sometimes I carry a stuffed animal with me, despite being 28. That I script and repeat things and flap and flail and stim.
What I need is your acceptance. To not push me to do things I cannot. To know that it isn’t laziness, it isn’t that I don’t want to do the thing, it’s that I cannot do the thing.
I don’t need your awareness. I need your acceptance. There’s a difference.
Accept us as we are.
Don’t force us to change.
Don’t shove us into your NT boxes.
Love us.
Accept us.
And stop being aware of us.
If we happen to run into each other (hypothetically speaking) I’ll be aware of you and I will accept you readily.
In the same manner that I treat all strangers, I won’t start any small talk because it would give me heart palpitations. But if we met and had a moment’s eye contact, I would be simply glad to nod and smile briefly and continue on my way as if you were any passing stranger.
I whole heartedly agree! Please help spread the news about our 2Nd annual I Don’t Need A Cure Autism Flashblog
https://facebook.com/events/460266270845914?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A98%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=98
I would say “don’t stop at awareness, if it isn’t going to lead to acceptance & inclusion I don’t want it!”
Pingback: Your awareness wants me dead | A Heart Made Fullmetal