HAPPY WORLD AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH!
April is World Autism Acceptance Month, it’s an exciting and informative month, promoting acceptance and celebration of autistic people as family members, friends, classmates, co-workers, and community members that all make valuable contributions to our world. Autism is a natural variation of the human experience, and we believe we can all create a world, which values their unique talents and gifts, including and celebrating all kinds of minds.
Autism affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. If you are autistic, you are autistic for life; autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be 'cured'. Often people feel being autistic is a fundamental aspect of their identity. All autistic people share certain difficulties, but being autistic will affect them in different ways, meaning they might need different levels of support. All people on the autism spectrum learn and develop and all can live a fulfilling life of their own choosing.
According to the Autism Society about 1% of the world population has autism spectrum disorder. Prevalence in the US is estimated at 1 in 68 births, meaning that more than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. There are around 700,000 people in the UK living with autism - that's more than 1 in 100. People from all nationalities and cultural, religious and social backgrounds can be autistic. Autism Acceptance Month is about treating autistic people with respect, listening to what they have to say and make them feel appreciated.
Whether you are autistic yourself, have a history of involvement in the autistic community, are a family member or a friend who simply wants to learn more about autism and discover how you can be a helpful ally; there are several ways you can get involved:
- Read websites and blogs on autism. This creates a starting place for discussion centered on the issues that the autism community wants to talk about.
- Encourage friends and collaborators to become partners in movement toward acceptance and appreciation. Accepting means supporting and accommodating autistic people without trying to “fix” them.
- Make a donation to your local Autism association to help empower the autistic community.
- Join an autism association, that way you can become connected to the grass-root movement to protect the rights of people with autism. There you can help by taking immediate action on issues and on where they need it most.
- Sign up to newsletters from your local autism association, to stay connected and informed.
- Connect with your neighborhood. Many autism associations hold special events in their communities throughout April, and the year. Sign up and get involved in upcoming events.
Below we have gathered a few websites and blogs that will give you all the information you need to help take part in promoting and protecting the human rights of people with autism and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
To celebrate World Autism Acceptance Month we are offering 20% off all yellow and purple BuddyPhones, get your discount using discount code APRIL2017 - valid until April 30th. Happy World Autism Acceptance Month!
https://www.autism-society.org/
http://www.autismacceptancemonth.com/
https://autismwomensnetwork.org/
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