April 1 marked the start of Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month: a month dedicated to showing your acceptance and appreciation towards the people in the community who are on the autism spectrum. People may not realize it, but people on the autism spectrum are all around, and this world looks a lot different for them than it does for everyone else. It’s very important that people take some time to educate themselves  so that society can show the people in our community who deal with autism the utmost support and appreciation all year long.

Especially in today’s world, Autism is widely misunderstood by lots of people. Just by doing a bit of research on reliable websites, one could learn some useful information on the topic that may help you to better understand the autism community.

“Our society treats people with autism much like any person would treat someone who is different from themselves or doesn’t act in a way that seems ‘normal,’” special education teacher Brandy Caffey said. “Many people do not understand autism and do not care to learn or be open to understanding how disabling it can be for someone. Autism, like other disabilities, takes patience, empathy, and knowledge.”

The common misconceptions people have about the disorder unfortunately have led to lots of mistreatment and discrimination against the autistic community. This month, it’s important to focus on undoing that damage by making our people with autism feel more understood and accepted.

“When people hear that someone is autistic, sometimes they assume the person is unable to do things for themselves or communicate at all,” junior Kaitlin Burns said. “But really, autism for most people is just a matter of your brain processing things differently.” 

Autism looks different for everyone that has it, as it has a very broad spectrum of symptoms and traits. This is part of why it is so often misunderstood; because it can look so different depending on the person. 

“For me, it’s very difficult socially because a lot of things that people consider to be common sense don’t really translate over for me,” Burns said. “Like, a lot of times, it’s hard for me to pick up on sarcasm. Another symptom of autism is heightened five senses, so things like lighting can be a lot more sensitive to me.”

It’s not so clear to others, but the world looks different for people on the spectrum. This doesn’t make them different in the sense that they are not as smart as their peers or intelligent as their peers, however. It simply means that their brains aren’t wired like other peoples; but that doesn’t mean that they should be treated any differently.

“I definitely think people with autism are misunderstood,” special education teacher Kristi Brown said. “I think people with autism are treated differently, but I do think it is getting better. I think acceptance and understanding are helping this world become a better place.”

By taking time this month to find local events in support of autism, finding good charities or organizations to donate to, conduct personal research or even just by taking time to get to know autistic peers better students can help contribute to the main cause of autism acceptance month: helping autistic people feel more accepted in the community.

“We all have our own stories and walk our own path,” Brown said. “Showing autistic people a greater sense of support and understanding is going to be just what everyone needs.”