Autism Acceptance Day- a different kind of “awareness”

[Guest guest]

A couple of weeks ago I started a Facebook event called " Autism Acceptance Day. "

I was a bit tired of seeing " awareness day " events tied to organizations that

are asking for donations. http://bit.ly/evBm6k

Within 20 minutes, 81 people had signed up. Currently the total is 458.

Autism Acceptance Day is intended to be a corrective to some of the " awareness "

events that start out with " Autism is more prevalent than pediatric AIDS…, " or

references to " one in 110!, " references to awareness that don't include the

perspectives of people on the spectrum, etc. My statement at the top of the

event page is: " This is the Autism Acceptance Day Facebook event. ACCEPTANCE,

not tolerance, not " yes, but... " , just acceptance. Pro-neurodiversity,

pro-supports and services, against " cures. " Please join and post links to your

favorite acceptance and neurodiversity sites, blogs, and organizations. "

Autism Acceptance Day is not sponsored by any organization. It's mostly an

online event, although I am trying to plan some activity, if I can get some free

time (since I also need to be at work that day) on the day, and I will be online

of course! Any sort of pro-neurodiversity, pro-acceptance activity is

encouraged! This is the first year of Autism Acceptance Day and there's no

reason why it can't be an annual event!

Re: the date. I think the first " World Autism Awareness Day " was started by

Autism Speaks. It was (and still is) April 2, not April 1. I guess Autism Speaks

was worried about " April Fool's Day. " I have picked April 1 for Autism

Acceptance Day, because it's the first of the month, because two " events " can

happen on the same day without too much trouble, and because it's not the day

Autism Speaks picked! It's also sort of odd to start an " awareness month " on the

second day of the month just because you're concerned that the first day is

already " taken. " Some people have expressed concern that it's the same day as

April Fool's Day and that someone might be offended, but I don't see April

Fool's Day as a major holiday. But maybe that's because I am the last person to

understand a joke, including the type of practical jokes that some people do on

that day.

If you are on Facebook, please sign up for the event to show your support for

Autism ACCEPTANCE. If not on Facebook, consider promoting Autism ACCEPTANCE

during the month of April.

NOTE: If you want to send me email do not use my Yahoo address. It does not work

and I can't access it.

a C. Durbin-Westby

pdurbinwestby@...

[Guest guest]

Apparently the link I gave, that I shortened with bit.ly, leads to a bunch of

advertising. Here is the direct URL for Autism Acceptance Day on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=207480192599697

a