Autistic Pride Day
June 18 Autistic Pride Day
Autistic Pride Day, originally an Aspies for Freedom initiative, is a pride celebration for autistics held on 18 June each year. Autistic pride recognises the importance of pride for autistics and its role in bringing about positive changes in the broader society.
“Autistic Pride” redirects here. For the viewpoint that autism is a part of normal variation, see Neurodiversity.
Autistic pride
One version of an Autism Pride Flag. The rainbow infinity symbol is more commonly used
On June 18 every year, organisations around the world celebrate Autistic Pride Day, with events around the world, to connect with one another through autistic events and demonstrate to allistic people (those not on the autism spectrum) that autistic people are unique individuals who should not be seen as cases for treatment. Writing for the Houston Press, Jef Rouner recommended five songs for Autistic Pride Day that celebrate difference and were written by autistic people.
Autistic Pride Day was first celebrated in 2005 by Aspies for Freedom and it quickly became a global event which is celebrated widely online and offline. AFF modelled the celebration on the gay pride movement. According to Kabie Brook, the co-founder of Autism Rights Group Highland (ARGH), “the most important thing to note about the day is that it is an autistic community event: it originated from and is still led by autistic people ourselves”, i.e. it is not a day for other charities or organisations to promote themselves or stifle autistic people. The rainbow infinity symbol is used as the symbol of this day, representing “diversity with infinite variations and infinite possibilities”.
During gay pride and other events, a rainbow flag is used featuring a white infinity symbol on a tri-colour background or a rainbow infinity symbol against a white or black background. (In Canada, only the rainbow infinity is used, because the white infinity symbol is in use on the Metis flag) LGBT+ autistic charity Twainbow oversaw the selection and online voting in 2015.
Autistic pride points out that autistic people have always been an important part of human culture. Being autistic is a form of neurodiversity. As with all forms of neurodiversity, most of the challenges autistic people face come from other people’s attitudes about autism and a lack of supports and accommodations (ableism), rather than being essential to the autistic condition. For instance, according to Larry Arnold and Gareth Nelson, many autism-related organizations promote feelings of pity for parents, rather than fostering understanding Autistic activists have contributed to a shift in attitudes away from the notion that autism is a deviation from the norm that must be treated or cured. Autistic self-advocacy organizations, which are led and run by autistics, are a key force in the movement for autistic acceptance and autistic pride. New Scientist magazine released an article entitled “Autistic and proud” on the first Autistic Pride Day that discussed the idea.
Themes
2005 Acceptance not cure — main event of
2005 was in Brasília, capital of Brazil.
2006 Celebrate Neurodiversity — main events of 2006 were an Autistic Pride Summer Camp in Germany and an event at the Scienceworks Museum in Melbourne, Australia.
2007 Autistics Speak. It’s time to listen
2008 Without a theme
2009 Without a theme
2010 Perspectives, not fear
2011 Recognize, Respect, Include
2012 No theme — main event of 2012 was in Herzliya Park, in Israel.
2013 No theme — main event of 2013 was in Sacher Park, in Jerusalem, Israel.
2015 No theme — main events were in Reading, UK, Hyde Park in London, UK, and Haifa, Israel.
2016 No theme — main events were in Reading, UK, Hyde Park in London, UK, Manchester UK, and Ramat HaSharon, Israel, Nebraska.
2017 No theme — main events were in Hyde Park, London, U.K., Reading U.K., Manchester U.K. and Modiin, Israel, and Nebraska.
2018 No theme — main events were in Hyde Park, London, U.K., Reading U.K., Manchester U.K. and Tel Aviv, Israel
2019 No theme — main events are in Hyde Park, London, U.K., Reading U.K., Manchester U.K., Paris, France and for the first time, an Autistic Pride march in Galway, Ireland
2020 – The transition to adulthood