Autism is not the problem; our perception of it is
Let there be neurodiversity
Autism is often portrayed as something to be pitied.
People tend to blame autism for an individual’s difficulties in navigating the world, viewing those with autism as victims condemned by their diagnosis to lead unhappy lives.
People with autism face many adversities because of their autism. However, more often than not, these adversities arise from the societal pressure to perform at a neurotypical level.
We have these unspoken rules on how to navigate and carry ourselves in society. We are expected to understand facial expressions, read a room for social cues, pick up body language and know how to properly maintain conversation. Autism, however, is characterized by the difficulty/inability to perform common social behaviours. Making it exponentially harder for individuals with autism to live by their own terms and connect with others in ways that feel authentic to them.
The opportunities for social belonging do not end there. People with autism find it easier to communicate with other neurodiverse individuals. This is because the pressure to appear ‘normal' when interacting with other neurodiverse people is significantly less than interacting with neurotypical folk. Making those who are neurodiverse capable of building positive relationships that go beyond the need for social rules.
There are communities and organizations made and led by neurodiverse individuals for the purpose of making space for neurodiversity in society. These groups of people spread awareness and amplify the voices of those who are being marginalized.
Many people with autism are not able to live fully independent lives due to sensory sensitivities, being non-verbal, executive functioning deficits or difficulty regulating emotions. There is a misconception that the less a person with autism is able to function on their own, the less capable they are of knowing what they want. Those with autism often get taken advantage of for not being able to express themselves in socially acceptable ways. Leading to people around them making decisions for them , regardless of age, and needs going unmet because they are not taken seriously.
As we cohabit with social norms, everything that exists outside of it makes us uncomfortable. It not only stops us from realizing what people with autism can do, but that there are endless unique and meaningful ways of existing as a human being.
By comparing neurodiverse individuals to neurotypical individuals, we amplify our differences, making it harder for us to understand each other. We look at autistic existence sideways and confused. These misconceptions lead us to forget that people with autism have important ideas and contributions to make in society.
Studies have shown that including students with autism into classrooms with neurotypical students has advantages that work both ways. Guided by a teacher with a positive attitude toward autism and the tools to accommodate students with autism, the classroom gains valuable skills in working and interacting with each other, which would increase positive attitudes between neurotypical and neurodiverse students.
It's in these ways that we move toward a society where neurodiversity is valued and matters. Instead of alienating people with autism, we should seek to find understanding with each other.
It's not people with autism who need to adapt to us---we also need to listen to and learn from them.
