It’s World Autism Acceptance Week. I am 29 and was only diagnosed the past few years. My life would have been better if I had of known earlier. I didn’t know how to explain to people why I had to leave their party, why I was breaking down on school camp, and why I avoided assembly which I found too loud. I remember the day a friend made me cry when she accused me of “walking out” of her party and being rude. I also remember the day she said I looked like I was “perving” on her boobs as I couldn’t make eye contact. I made this video about my experience and would like to share it for Autism Acceptance week.
Zoe
A founder of hsphaven, Zoe hopes to create a space for HSP writers to come together and share their diverse passions and expertise through writing. This has been an important outlet for Zoe over the years; she fondly recalls writing stories as a child at recess and lunchtime and sharing them with her classmates. Some of Zoe’s areas of interest include mental health, healing and self-development. She has a background in psychology/social science. In her spare time Zoe enjoys being in Nature, op shopping, vegan food, music, and art and craft.
hsphaven 
March 31, 2022 at 10:26 am
Whilst I like that there is an increasing awareness of Autism it still annoys me that we have to have an “acceptance week” when it should just be commonly accepted among society.
LikeLike
March 31, 2022 at 10:29 am
I hear ya. I don’t even really like the word “acceptance”. It’s like ok guys lets put up with autistic people and just for one week. I don’t know maybe I’m reading into it too much but I think we deserve more than just “acceptance”
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 31, 2022 at 10:33 am
No you’re definitely not reading in to it too much. I feel the exact same way.
I understand that it’s meant to make people feel acknowledged and seen but it should be year round, every day.
I hate the word “acceptance” as well. I feel neuro-diversity should be celebrated and taught about.
LikeLiked by 2 people
April 4, 2022 at 3:45 am
For one thing, our standard educators need to be further educated on Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially when it comes to preventing the abuse of autistic students by their neurotypical peers and teachers alike.
Not only should all school teachers receive mandatory training, but that there further be an inclusion in standard high school curriculum of a child development course that would also teach students about the often-debilitating condition (without being overly complicated). If nothing else, the curriculum would offer students an idea/clue as to whether they’re emotionally/mentally compatible with the immense responsibility and strains of parenthood.
It would explain to students how, among other aspects of the condition, people with ASD (including those with higher functioning autism) are often deemed willfully ‘difficult’ and socially incongruent, when in fact such behavior is really not a choice. And how “camouflaging” (or “masking”), a term used to describe ASD people pretending to naturally fit in, causes their already high anxiety and depression levels to further increase.
As a ‘difficult’ boy with autism spectrum disorder, ACEs and high sensitivity (thus not always easy to deal with), the first and most formidably abusive authority figure with whom I was terrifyingly trapped was my Grade 2 teacher (Mrs. Carol), in the early 1970s.
Although I can’t recall her abuse in its entirety, I’ll nevertheless always remember how she had the immoral audacity — and especially the unethical confidence in avoiding any professional repercussions — to blatantly readily aim and fire her knee towards my groin, as I was backed up against the school hall wall.
Fortunately, though, she missed her mark, instead hitting the top of my left leg. Though there were other terrible teachers, for me she was uniquely traumatizing, especially when she wore her dark sunglasses when dealing with me. And rather than tell anyone about my ordeal with her and consciously feel victimized, I felt some misplaced shame.
LikeLike