Autistic people should flashblog

This post is part of today’s “Autistic People Should” flash blog where Autistic bloggers are writing about positive things that Autistic people should do. Why? Because if you type “Autistic people should” into either Google or Bing’s search engine query box, the autocomplete results–the most popular searches starting with those words–are disturbing and upsetting, especially if you’re Autistic or love someone who is. 

Autistic people should...

be heard.

We say things. Those things? They should have a platform. That platform should get equal time to the things people say about us, if not greater time.

be listened to.

Not only should the words we say be given air time, but people should give them consideration. People should take them onboard instead of dismissing them out of hand. Our communication, whatever form it takes, should be taken as valid.

be understood.

Take the time to figure out what we mean. Understand meaning, not style. You don't have to grok every facet to understand what we mean. I don't have to understand deep in my soul what it is to be a musician to understand that not all of the "same instrument" are the same. Just so, you don't need to know with every fiber of your being how I feel when I spin to accept that it does great things for me. You don't need to 100% grok to understand, I promise.

be embraced.

We are valuable members of our families and our communities. Treat us as such.

be welcomed.

When you see us in your community, be a source of welcome. Be that source of light, be that safe space. Be that warmth in the scary, cold world. Show us that the world isn't always horrible. We have a lot to offer. So do you. Bring us into communities like you know we're real people.

be able to live a life without fear. 

I have written about fear, recently. The fear we all live in. It shouldn't be that way. This flashblog is a response to yet another thing that proves we have a lot to fear. It should not be that way. Not at all. But you, and I, and everyone, we can make it better. You, yes you, can help reshape this world to how it should be.

Autistic people should live life fully, fearlessly, and wonderfully. Make it so.