The one exception: a little white Apple logo in a rear window<\/strong>, which helps me find the white car among a sea of other white cars. And the sticker is only on the glass.)<\/p>\nQ: Don’t you want to promote autism awareness?<\/p>\n
No. People are aware, and misinformed thanks to the groups promoting autism awareness month and day.<\/p>\n
Q: Don’t you like the symbols of support?<\/p>\n
No. I’d rather have real acceptance and appreciation<\/b>\u00a0for my skills and abilities, not some symbolic gesture.<\/p>\n
Q: Don’t the blue ribbons and puzzle pieces give you hope?<\/p>\n
For what? More marketing gimmicks? It’s like pink for breast cancer or red for AIDS: companies donate a small fraction of their profits, usually five or ten percent, and we’re supposed to feel great about walking around with pink, red, or blue merchandise. If it was something you needed to buy anyway, great, but don’t buy something because it has some symbolic meaning.<\/p>\n
Q: But would we know how much autism is increasing without the awareness campaigns?<\/p>\n
Confusing diagnostic rates and incidence rates isn’t a great outcome of “awareness” campaigns<\/strong>. If anything, the paranoia fostered during April does more harm than good. My inbox was filled with Generation Rescue notes this week: Am I using the best fish oil? Do I know the value of GFCF diets? Did I know some pressure chambers “cure” autistic traits? Do I realize that Big Pharma controls all autism research? And on and on. Thanks, April, for increasing the awareness of nutty theories.<\/p>\nQ: But\u2026 but\u2026 people want to show they care. Are you that cynical?<\/p>\n
Show you care by caring. Find out what the autistic in your life enjoys, and do it together. Find out what a teacher might need in his or her classroom, and help obtain it. Make a difference by doing something. Take action, which means more than putting up a ribbon or puzzle piece.<\/p>\n
Be change. Take action.<\/p>\n
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