Autistics Speaking Day

AutisticIntrovert383, Autistics Speaking Day, The Autistic Introvert

        Autistics Speaking Day is an event held on November 1st every year. It is a day where we autistics speak up & advocate for ourselves. Being Autistic in the NT world is exhausting and tiring. It is like being a square peg and trying to fit into a round hole. This is a day for us to be loud and proud, and broadcast our narratives. We broadcast every narrative, and we showcase our Autistic experiences and perspectives to the world. When the NTs become silent and disconnect from all social media networks and forums on November 1st, let’s speak up, advocate, and fight for ourselves and our rights. 

        Autistics Speaking Day was started on November 1st, 2010, by two autistic adults in the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and the Autism Women’s & Nonbinary Network (AWN). This day was started to protest Communication Shutdown. Communication Shutdown was a day for NTs to stop communication through social media and other networks and platforms for one day on November 1st to imagine the “problems” or “deficits” that we autistics have in communication. We don’t have communication “problems” or “deficits”. It is very hard and difficult for us to interact with NTs due to the double empathy problem. We protested Communication Shutdown because it was started by an organization in Australia that was connected to an ableist autism organization in the US. Enough with saying “deficit” and “disordered”. Enough with saying “different ability”. Enough with saying “HFA” and “LFA”. Enough with the ableist treatments. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

        On this day, we demonstrate to NTs that we are not broken, we don’t need to be fixed, we don’t need to be cured, and we don’t need to be treated. We are unique individuals who don’t need ableist treatments. We don’t need our square pegs to be forced into round holes. We must fight and advocate for ourselves. If we don’t advocate for ourselves, who will fight for us? We face so much ableism and bullying. We must understand our disability to fight and advocate for ourselves. Speaking up for ourselves allows us to fight for accommodations, adjustments and support. Accommodations and adjustments are not a burden. They allow us to function in the NT world. We need accommodations and support, not rejection. We need accommodations and support, not ableism. We show every sensory pain, every joy, every misunderstanding, every account of being bullied, every joyful moment, and every account of trying to advocate and fight for ourselves. 

        There are many events related to Autistics Speaking Day that are held on November 1st. At this time, social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and blogging sites are flooded with posts describing our experiences of being Autistic. When the NTs stop interacting on this day, let’s flood the internet with our Autistic experiences, perspectives, and values. We need to speak up, fight, and advocate for ourselves in order to make a change in how NTs see us. We can advocate and fight for ourselves to get our accommodations and adjustments for our needs. 
        Since we are a marginalized minority group, we must fight, speak up, and advocate for ourselves. This helps us to get accommodations and support in school, college/university, the workplace, and in public places. We know what’s best for us. We need accommodations and support, not rejection. We need accommodations and support, not ableism. We autistics know everything about autism & being Autistic from our lived experiences. We need to speak up for ourselves without being drowned out and silenced by NTs. Each and every one of us is different in our own ways, but our lived experiences are valid. We need to boldly and courageously show the world: Nothing About Us, Without Us. 
        Autistics Speaking Day is an event by us, for us. It is an event where we autistics flood every social media site with our Autistic experiences, perspectives, and views to the world. We need to fight and advocate for ourselves and our needs, as this will allow us to receive accommodations and adjustments. We need to self-advocate for our rights, and we need to self-accommodate our own needs. Let’s spread Autism Acceptance and Autistic Pride, and let’s fight, speak up, and advocate for ourselves. Let’s start peaceful protests around the world not only on this day, but all year long. Let’s start peaceful protests all over the world where we say: WE NEED ACCOMMODATIONS AND SUPPORT, NOT REJECTION. WE NEED ACCOMMODATIONS AND SUPPORT, NOT ABLEISM. WE NEED REPRESENTATION, AND WE DON’T NEED TO BE SILENCED. Let’s celebrate Autistics Speaking Day with a statement to proudly, boldly, & courageously show the world: Nothing About Us, Without Us! :)

Happy Autistics Speaking Day everyone!

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