April is Autism Acceptance Month. It’s also called Autism Awareness Month. But Autism Acceptance Month feels more meaningful. And here’s why.
It’s 2026. People are largely aware of autism. And while awareness is better than ignorance, asking someone to be aware of something really is a pretty low lift. It doesn’t necessarily translate into a different way of thinking or a shift in societal attitudes.
In fact, we could even argue that people are too aware of autism. Or at least too aware of the wrong things. Much of the recent discourse about autism has been negative with plenty of misinformation getting repeated. As a result, people are becoming more aware, but not more informed.
For people with autism and the people who love them it is discouraging, to say the least, when the nation's top health officials treat autism like the worst thing that can befall a family or use autism as their reason for discouraging vaccinations despite the fact that there is no link between the two, or when they vow that they are going to find a “cure.”
Lost in all of this? People with autism. That’s the problem with “awareness.” Awareness can still be dehumanizing. The view of autism outlined above doesn’t acknowlege or respect the humanity of people with autism. It ignores the fact that when talking about autism we’re talking about someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s friend, someone’s neighbor. Autism isn’t some theoretical concept. Autism is people.
And a widely diverse group of people, for that matter. People with autism are of all ages, races, backgrounds, socio-economic levels, genders, and abilities. Some people with autism need extensive support in their day to day lives. Others might need very little in the way of support. All are deserving of whatever supports they need.
When it comes to autism, awareness is but a first step. Ideally, awareness leads to acceptance. We all need to accept that autism exists, that the lives of people with autism are just as valuable and meaningful as anyone else’s, and that autism is but one of a multitude of ways to experience and exist in the world.
After acceptance comes belonging. People with autism belong. Not only do they deserve to live in an inclusive and accessible world, they deserve to live as independently as possible. Everyone does.
But how can we get to belonging when so many people—including those who have the power to make policy decisions—cant even seem to get to acceptance?
We do it through advocacy. This includes not only communicating with policymakers and elected officials, but also combating misinformation and fighting the stigmatization that keeps so many people with differences of all kinds on the margins.
Self-advocacy and advocacy for others does make a difference. Not all of the discourse around autism is negative. There’s been a clear movement towards a better understanding of neurodivergence in recent years. We see more people celebrating their uniqueness rather than trying to conform to neurotypical behaviors. More and more people are learning how to live and thrive with their unique neurodivergence rather than trying to change who they are. We think that’s a beautiful thing. It’s also a step toward belonging.
At MISILC, we value caretaking and we recognize that advocacy is care. We know that a better world is possible. Not just for people with autism, but for people with disabilities, the elderly, the ill—anyone who feels like the world just isn’t built for them. We can all show that we care through advocacy. And we can prove that we care by never giving up the fight for a more just, equitable, and accessible world.