Are you aware that there are moons and stars?
Are you aware that there is a theory of relativity?
Are you aware of the music of Mozart?
Are you aware that cars have engines?
Are you aware that houses need careful planning when built so they don’t fall down?
Are you aware that there are creatures living in the sea?
Are you aware that pacemakers help people with heart problems?
Are you aware of Harry Potter?
Are you aware of autism?
Are you expert in: astronomy, physics, music, mechanics, architecture, marine biology, heart surgery, children’s fiction? Do you have in depth knowledge of any of them?
Autism ‘awareness’ – is it really appropriate???
Awareness does not constitute expertise.
Awareness does not signify understanding.
Awareness is not synonymous with acceptance.
We need more than autism ‘awareness’. We need autism understanding and acceptance.
I agree with this completely- I was trying to explain this to a colleague of mine the other day. Most people are aware of autism but fewer understand or appreciate this neurological difference.
Well done Luke – splendid post 🙂
Hi Luke – I have shared this on facebook, and also with those who read my own blog, aspi.blog: https://aspi.blog/2018/01/18/autism-acceptance-months-ii-luke-beardon-joins-the-fray/
Yes! Awareness can be shallow and unsupportive. Understanding and accepting, including and loving – these things are so much better for the autistic person.
Thank you Luke. I would like to share my feelings. Out of darkness can come light and out of ignorance can come understanding and wisdom. Just believe. Human beings can accept eachother if they so wish, if something is not any one’s fault, if we try our best and have good intentions to do good, we will never fail. Charity is love. We need to be charitable to eachother. Many of us are. Then we will better understand and have wisdom.
Life is difficult for many people with autism. There are human beings who would abuse and bully. I will not go into details here. But when people show charity, patience, understanding and wisdom, it may be made easier. I met a lady recently. She has shown more charity, kindness and understanding concerning my difficulties than even my family. When people don’t want to think about difference and be charitable they don’t want to understand. That’s why my family don’t understand and are not as supportive as they should be I think. But this lady said something to me for the first time in my life -nobody has ever said this to me before and it almost brought me to tears-she said “I want to understand you and I want to make your life easier. I will listen to you”. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. We are all on the same planet. I speak to all the humans-do not think that you know more than you do. There is wisdom and light. Go towards the light.
That lady didn’t mean what she said. Shortly after, she started bullying me, physically and emotionally and excluding me. Sad fact of life. Maybe one day someone will say that to me and actually mean what they say!
Autism awareness simply means basis knowledge of what autism is. It’s the first step, but not halfway enough. Maybe it should be taught in school, to accept people who are different. When I was a teen, we went on a school trip and had run into a teen with mild development delays who had tried to make friends with us. After he walked away, one of the girls said people like him should be locked up for the rest of their lives, for their own good, of course, so they don’t get run over by a car or something. She said you never know when he’s going to pull a knife out of his pocket. He didn’t act threatening or anything. He was so sweet and friendly. That’s what real ignorance is.
Why do I love the music of Mozart?
Any guesses?