Autism: From Awareness to Acceptance in April

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 12:51:27 -0400
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Autism is a Spectrum- from Awareness to Acceptance

April is known as Autism Awareness Month, including April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (link). In listening to many within the Autism community - there is a call for media to move from using awareness to acceptance to foster change and inclusivity for those affected by autism - read more about it from the Autism Society here. Information on What is Autism is linked here, and a deeper dive sharing the voices of many people on the Autism Spectrum is posted here.

Being on the Autism Spectrum is a nuanced diagnosis with a rainbow of traits, and is explained well here. Rebecca Burgess also explains the spectrum within her comic on The Mighty here. Day-to-day living and learning independence was recently examined in depth on PBS's In a Different Key which covers the history of autism and highlights the experience of a range of people with autism, their families and their community.

People of all identities around the world live, go to school and go to work with the neurodiversity that Autism brings to a world, often with struggle and difficulty. UMBC's students, faculty, staff, and visitors have this neurodiversity as well. While many learn and work well with best practices and accessible design, students (both undergraduate and graduate), as well as faculty and staff who experience disability with a diagnosed health condition (which includes autism) may seek accommodations through Student Disability Services (link) for academic programs, as well as work-related accommodations via Accessibility & Disability Services.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is also a time when UMBC highlights awareness about sexual assault - which informs community safety and health at UMBC. ADS and SDS are acutely aware of how this harmful and criminal behavior disproportionately affects people with disabilities. Hannah Gadsby speaks about her experience within the wide-ranging special, Nanette. Information on how to access help and support is available at any time on the ECR website.

Learn more about Disability, Victimization and becoming a survivor here. Become involved with awareness, prevention and safety by participating in Green Dot (prevention) Training and being familiar with UMBC Resources.

Have a good April everyone!

*See UMBC's Style Guide about variations within inclusive language