Zoom Autism Magazine Issue 3 Spring 2015 | Page 64

“Autism acceptance means, to me, less isolation
and rejection. When given the right opportunities
and support, I/we are capable of leading happy
and successful lives. Autistics often struggle
with basic social skills like interpreting nonverbal
cues or understanding widely-recognized rules of
etiquette. We/I are too often branded as rude or
antisocial. Autistics tend to have highly specialized interests and idiosyncratic personality traits.
We/I tend to experience disproportionate adversity when trying to develop meaningful interpersonal connections, instead encountering isolation, rejection, and outright hostility throughout
our lives. The biggest obstacle we/I face is lack
of understanding from neurotypicals.”
Larr Slick
“Autism Awareness means, to me, taking the time
to get to know a person before you assume to
know what their challenges and/or limitations
are. You may just be surprised at what you find.
And you may make a great friend in the process.”
Jenn from Em’s Journey
“Autism acceptance means many things to my
family. It means making insurances cover needs,
it means schools giving children needed help and
services, it means educating doctors, it means
hoping for a time when these things won’t need
to be fought for – they will be deserved and just
given – it means eating in restaurants without
glares, it means people opening doors for our
wheelchair, understanding that my sons cannot
wait in lines, cannot always be patient, and may
sometimes melt down. Acceptance is knowing
that this is ok. It means not judging them, us, or
other families like us. Accepting them as is. Celebrating their differences, supporting their abilities,
their achievements and comparing them only to
themselves not to others. Acceptance to our family would mean a world that doesn’t discriminate,
only sees their beauty, like we do.”
Mary Ellen Desmarais
64

Zoom Autism Through Many Lenses

“No different to acceptance of
any kind – just let people be
who they are, no judgment, no
discrimination.”
Ali Finlayson