Through all of the chaos around COVID-19, we cannot fail to recognize the good happening in America this month. April is dedicated to raising awareness for all of those who fall under the autism spectrum, including those who have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Every April 2nd the foundation Autism Speaks celebrates National Autism Awareness Day, and then uses the rest of the month as a way to share experiences and stories with the rest of the nation in order to bring awareness and help inform people on autism. Along with speaking about Autism, other events such as marathons and public speaking events are hosted throughout the month (however the global pandemic has hindered said activities). Yet there is still hope to raise awareness during quarantine; people are encouraged to remain engaged this month by speaking out on autism awareness on social media or taking part in a virtual marathon for autism awareness. The goal is to provide opportunities to increase the background knowledge behind the autism spectrum. The main goal behind autism awareness is to truly show people that autism is not a debilitating disorder and that people who have autism are very productive in society. There is often confusion when it comes to autism versus other disorders; those who are diagnosed as autistic can be placed on a spectrum of severity pertaining to their disorder. With that also comes the stipulation that there are ‘high functioning’ and ‘low functioning’ people on that spectrum; severity can differ, but the stigma that some autistic individuals are more fit for society is only furthering the belief that people with disabilities do not belong in society. That is why autism awareness is symbolized as a puzzle, to further the idea that every individual, autistic or not, belongs in society.
Written by: Rachel Marshall