Today is just another day, but for some people, whether they are autistic or not, it’s a special day known as World Autism Awareness Day. A famously unknown local autistic man once called it “the day of the worldly autistics.”
For me, World Autism Awareness Day is like any other day, but it’s also a time for personal and philosophical reflection. It brings mixed feelings. On one hand, I feel a strong connection to the autism community and the day reminds me of the importance of acceptance, understanding, and inclusion, even for those who are very different from me. On the other hand, I prefer to keep to myself on this day to avoid the oversimplification and misunderstandings about autism. It’s also the one day of the year I try to avoid wearing blue clothes.
Like other significant times of the year, World Autism Awareness Day is a moment when I reflect on my experiences over the past year. I’m happy and surprised to be alive, with a bit more medication and support, and I’m able to continue participating in events that promote understanding of autism, like workshops and guest lectures. I’m also pleasantly surprised to see my blog has grown a lot, nearly doubling in visitors and readers.
World Autism Awareness Day is a time when I think about people with autism and their loved ones who, despite tough circumstances, manage to live and make the best of their situation. It takes a lot of creativity to make something lasting out of little, to stay resilient and not become too bitter or angry because of others’ ignorance or injustice in work, education, or personal relationships. These are often the people who experience loneliness and social isolation the most.
To me, World Autism Awareness Day is an opportunity to raise awareness and appreciation for the diversity within the autism community. I don’t feel much for the label of autism, but I do feel a connection to people who have experiences with autism. These are usually people who don’t focus much on terminology or identity, but rather on making the best of social interactions, dealing with sensory overload, and finding clarity in an unpredictable and unclear world.
If I were to call for more awareness, it wouldn’t just be about recognizing certain strengths or talents, which don’t mean much to me, but about recognizing the individual aspirations and boundaries of people with autism and their circles. The disregard for these boundaries is something I’ve noticed from the responses of people with autism to my blog. If it’s hard for someone with autism to say ‘no,’ it seems even harder for others to accept that ‘no.’ This year, I’ve come to greatly value having my own space, where no one else can intrude.
Finally, World Autism Awareness Day is not just a time to pause and reflect, but also a chance to imagine what could be, to hope for a nuanced understanding of autism and neurodiversity, to be valued for who we are, and to keep the energy to continue evolving at our own pace.
The European Autist 