Autism Awareness Month is Not Enough

As many of you might already know, April is Autism Awareness Month! All around the world, groups like CARD are doing their best to bring attention to the unique struggles people on the spectrum face on a daily basis. There’s even a special campaign every April 2nd called “Light it up Blue,” which, as the name implies, is a day to wear blue, the color that represents autism. As someone who realizes how generally underrepresented and unappreciated the ASD demographic is 11 months out of the year, I can at least be thankful there’s a month devoted to the cause of helping these people.

I’d like to include some pictures of some of the world’s famous landmarks that participate in Light it up Blue, it’s really a beautiful thing to see:

• Sydney Opera House
• Christ the Redeemer
• Empire State Building
• Eiffel Tower

There are many others, from famous Buddhist Temples in Asia, to the Eye of London and the White House; I suggest you look them up as well!

Anyways, the thing I would like to talk about is the idea of an Autism Awareness Month itself. Now, while I said before that I do love the idea, I (as well as many others), feel that it’s not enough. According to the Autism Society, there are more than 3.5 million Americans alone with ASD, or roughly 1 in 68 births, and that number seems to be climbing constantly. Too many on the spectrum are directionless, unable to find help, don’t have the necessary life skills to thrive in the world, and these things aren’t their fault. They just need the proper guidance, and an awareness month dedicated to them is a great first step, but we need more.

Autism awareness is something that should take place all year long, not just in April. The fact of the matter is, while many people who normally don’t think too much about autism are more cognizant of it for 30 days, once May 1st rolls around, they’re back to forgetting for another 11 months. This is how many feel about other dedicated months, such as Black History month or Women’s History month. Until the day where individuals on the spectrum are fully integrated into society (or at least as well as we can be), let’s focus on making Autism Awareness Month “Autism Awareness Year.”

• G. Sosso