Naturally we include the obligatory autism reference to a piece of jigsaw puzzle!

Because obviously we're the forgotten about pieces of puzzle that go under the sofa yet without us, the jigsaw is incomplete.

Jigsaw
Because you know, its a website about autism so there's got to be the obligatory jigsaw reference!

Tuesday 2 April 2019

World Autism Awareness Week, again.

It's the start of World Autism Awareness Week again...
Here marks more garbage on social media about autism with jigsaw puzzle pieces, vaccinations, Applied Behaviour Analysis, our suffering and cures.

Many of us who live independent lives and "appear normal" have daily struggles that we mask to fit in, to get by. Get aware. Find out about autism first-hand.

Here's a pro-tip. Look on Twitter at #ActuallyAutistic where you can read the postings from autistic people. See their concerns, their joys and life experiences in how autism affects their lives. These are first-hand accounts from autistic people with the cognitive ability to engage on Twitter (although they may not all live independently). It's worth taking a look.

Did you know an agency in the UK government recently discriminated tens of thousands of autistic people with no warning? The DVLA recently then backtracked a decision on ruling autism (and ADHD) was a mental disorder. I had to fill an M1 form disclosing my imaginary drug/alcohol issues and never happened stays in mental hospitals. Failure meant my clean 17 year old driving licence revoked. Thankfully the autistic community lobbied well and the DVLA changed the rules where you must only disclose your autism diagnosis if it negatively impacts on the quality of your driving. Finally some sense.

This wouldn't have happened if those making the decision were aware of what autism actually is (and what it is not). Awareness comes from including autistic people's voices in the services we use rather than people speaking for us.
Don't assume you know what I need. Don't tell me what I need. You might be surprised about I need. Ask.

I'll help you out about workplace reasonable adjustments.
Look at my presentation I delivered at #Autscape, a conference about autism for autistic people: https://lnkd.in/dArS6WW

I may expand on this last point in another entry.