They say it takes more muscles to frown than it does
to smile. This simple idea can be
related to the following concept.
It
takes more of your energy to hate and work toward “combatting” something that
is a central part of what makes me, me, than is does to accept me as I am. Helping people is easier than working to get
rid of us. What we Autistics really need
is access to services and supports not more work done to try and eradicate us
or make us just like you, under the guise of “research”. We are part of the human fabric and always
have been, therefore always will be. Why
fear and hate us when all you need to do is help and encourage us to be the
best we can be, we should be given the supports to do so. We have just as much right as anyone else to
be the best we can be. Too much focus
has been on Autistic children, “the epidemic”, and “the upcoming onslaught of Autistic
adults”…ummm what about we Autistics adults who are already here and
struggling, we deserve to have better lives too. I am an out Autistic adult, well beyond 22
years of age, past “the transition age” as the would-be allies keep trying to
address, but what about those of us after 22?
Do Autistic adults just vanish after they turn 22 years of age because
we are no longer in schools and therefore not in the statistics? Of course we do not disappear, we are still
here, we are just as human as you are, we live on and struggle more so than you
ever will due to a lack of access to much needed supports, services, etc. Supports and services for all Autistics are
essential for us to be contributing members of society and to be fully
integrated. All Autistics verbal or
nonverbal deserve a chance to thrive.
Why spend more time frowning, in the case of the Combatting Autism Act fighting us and our Autism, instead use your energy and resources to embrace
our differences and work with us on our terms to help us to reach our full
potentials. Revise the CAA to incorporate the voices and needs of Autistic people, the very people it should be helping, otherwise get rid of it.
Do something positive and
smile, help us. The bigger the smile the more
happy people it will reach and isn't that what helping others does, for you and for me! :)
