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It will soon be Autism awareness month, that wonderful time of the year when many autistics hit their foxholes screaming "incoming", or take to their bunkers and hide.
"But why?" I hear you ask. "Surely awareness is a good thing?"
Well, obviously yes, normally, but mostly, actually, no. Not in the way this normally pans out, anyway. Because this is the time of year when everything starts getting lit up blue and puzzle pieces start making their appearance and Autism Speaks articles rear their ugly, eugenic, heads. No matter how many times the vast bulk of the autism community explain that these symbols and the organisation that they are linked to, do not bloody speak for us and never sodding will.
Pity-me mothers parade their kids to showcase how terrible their lives are, or how there isn't enough help for their darling children. Which, whilst admittedly this is true for the kids, could be highlighted in better ways. Various celebrities and sports stars come out about the wonders of being diagnosed with autism and the huge change it has made in their pampered lives and puff pieces pop up everywhere about how someone succeeded because of their autistic superpower, or how they wouldn't be where they were now without it, or how someone's a hero, for standing up for their autistic friend. And editors across the land, slap themselves on their backs for such a wonderful job of awareness and here's to the next year and then silence once again falls.
OK, I may be slightly exaggerating this, but unfortunately not by as much as you might be thinking. So many times, even within the good articles and representation, there is the implicit message that only an official diagnosis can do this for you, which is a real kick in the teeth for everyone who has as much chance of getting one of those, as of winning the lottery. That this is something that is seen in us, rather than something that we can see ourselves. And all too often, even with the good stuff, it's always accompanied by the stock, what is autism? answers, from the internet. You know, the ones that just dryly quote the highlights of our disorder, in a way that none of us can actually recognise ourselves in and certainly don't help with others seeing us.
And this is the real problem with awareness month. It's all fine and dandy trying to increase awareness. But of what? Is it the problems and struggles, the difficulty of having autistic children, or being autistic in a world without support? The virtues of finally having your eyes opened to your autistic superpower? Of how the community and others could finally rally around you.
Or is it the different stories that finally allow others to see us, or even for us to finally see ourselves after decades in the dark. That allow the friend or neighbour, or workmate to maybe stop seeing you as the weird, or creepy, or even scary, person. But instead, someone who's just different, who sees and perhaps understands the world in a way that they don't. Not superpowered, or a burden, or broken in any way. Just yourself, just autistic. The stories that lead to acceptance and not just awareness.
@pathfinder @actuallyautistic I totally agree with what you are saying BUT I do see an improvement in Ireland- much more focus on own voices. Just last week I was interviewed in the Irish Times about being autistic. Whereas the Guardian and BBC were praising a writer Suzanne O'Sullivan about her book on over-diagnosis. UK and Ireland have very different approaches to autism awareness month.
Here's my interview: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2025/03/30/niamh-garvey-being-diagnosed-with-autism-at-34-you-suddenly-get-the-language-that-explains-your-life/
@niamhgarvey @actuallyautistic
The language to explain my life. Such a brilliant and true way of describing it and what a wonderful article. It just goes to show what can and should be done. 
@pathfinder @actuallyautistic do you see much own voice in the UK media?
@niamhgarvey @actuallyautistic
No, not really. What there is tends to be about much younger people and even the good interviews and pieces, always seem to want to add the stock definitions of autism, which isn't always helpful and maybe comment on how it's on the increase, without, of course, just giving the obvious reason why. It's definitely better, but still biased away from self-diagnosis.
@pathfinder @actuallyautistic It's weird how neighbouring countries are so different. And that repeats worldwide. It baffles me tbh.
@niamhgarvey @actuallyautistic
I think it reflects how a lot of people, including obviously those who set policy, just don't know how to think about this. In their lifetimes, it's gone from "rain man", or mad scientist, to bloke next door. Hence, I think, why some seem to prefer viewing it as something that is being over-diagnosed and almost a fad normal people are latching onto. In their minds it takes things back to what it should be, what it used to be.
It takes time for the new, to become normal and different countries are travelling at different rates, if they are being allowed to travel at all.
@pathfinder @actuallyautistic I think that too. It annoys ne a lot, given how recent a diagnosis autism is- not even 100 years old, and yet people's minds are closed to how it has evolved as a diagnosis (and that self-identification is valid).
@niamhgarvey @actuallyautistic
All too often it's because of how it is framed, that is restricting people's ability to change. We've moved beyond the medicalisation of it, but the language hasn't.
@niamhgarvey @pathfinder @actuallyautistic
On a related note within the last month or so I have seen a couple of articles in Irish media using identity-first language where in the past they had always used person-first language -even in the otherwise good articles.
I don't know if it was just random, but I hope it wasn't.
[I know it's not a 100% thing, but I have seen a strong preference for identity-first language from autistic people.]
@samantha @pathfinder @actuallyautistic I agree Samantha, I am seeing that too.