After the Autism Society of America decided to change “Autism Awareness Month” to “Autism Acceptance Month” in 2021, the meaning of the initiative broadened to advocate — not just for more inclusion in society — but for acceptance within the autism community itself.
“It started out as autism awareness just because folks really were not familiar with autism,” said Andy Kopito, president of the Autism Society of Los Angeles, in an interview with Annenberg Media.
“Now we’re more focused on how they can better accept people who are on the spectrum and figure out how to work with them,” he said.
Kopito said he has two children with autism; a daughter who is mildly impacted and a son who is impacted to a higher degree. The biggest change he has noticed throughout his time as a parent has been improved public reaction and engagement with those on the spectrum.
“When he was younger, people used to look at him and ask ‘why isn’t he talking? Why is he making those sounds,’” Kopito said of his son. “Now when he’s out in the community, whether it’s going to the movies, or at the gym, people react in such a positive way and are so kind.”
Kopito continued, “the warmth that people show, it is showing that this whole idea of acceptance is working in our society and that gives me hope for the future that people with autism are going to be able to live their best lives out in the community.”
Public and community awareness has enabled people to feel less afraid to seek help and get diagnosed, according to a study done by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
According to the study, awareness is credited as a reason behind the 300% increase in diagnosis over the past 20 years.
April has now become a month for those in the autism community — like Marisa Hamamoto, founder of Infinite Flow Dance — to come together and embrace themselves.
“The autism diagnosis really gave me an opportunity to realize that I’m not broken,” Hamamoto said. “There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being autistic.”.
Hamamoto said Autism Acceptance Month gives people with autism the opportunity to come forward and “be bold” about their diagnosis.
“That allows others who might not feel comfortable to be comfortable in accepting their autism,” she said.
Advocates like Kopito and Hamamoto said they continue to fight against misconceptions and stigmas attached to the autistic community and encourage others to do the same.
“I get a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, oh, you’re autistic. You don’t look autistic,’” Hamamoto said. “And my response to that always is, ‘Who said that autism is supposed to have a look in the first place?’”