Society has a very poor way of treating people with Autism and approaching this topic. But there is a better way to approach Autism.
Autism is a complicated disability. But these people are just as deserving of respect and human decency as any other person in society. But the problem is that society likes to shut people out, especially those on the Autism spectrum. This can be by not following an Autistic student’s IEP, robbing an Autistic adult on the street because they don’t have the understanding of social skills, and most importantly, sending those with Autism to a group home without realizing the capabilities of said person. But I’m here to tell you that there is a better way to approach this topic.
As you probably didn’t know, some of the world’s most intelligent people have had Autism. Some most notable examples include Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Temple Grandin, Leonardo Da Vinci, and even Robin Williams. All of these people have made significant contributions to the worlds of art, music, entertainment, science, technology, and mathematics, with a lot of these even winning Nobel Peace Prizes. This shows that people on the autism spectrum are capable of so much more than being put in a group home for the rest of their lives. But the question is how do we understand Autism? What guidelines can society implement to make those with Autism feel welcome?
Well the main thing that society can do is to not think of Autism as a curse and something that is to be shunned from society like Arthur Fleck from Joker. Instead, I invite society to think of Autism as something that makes people incredibly intelligent and talented, but they might need a tiny bit of help understanding certain social aspects of life. If we think of autism as a gift and not a curse, society might not be so broken and might start treating disabled people as human beings.
We can do this in three simple steps:
Follow IEPs and other accommodations on point.
Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Give people with Autism a chance.
If we follow these three simple steps and more, we can live in a world where we treat people with kindness and don’t try to change the person that they are. I have complete faith in society that we can take the initiative and build a world of peace, love, and positivity.
Kadin is a college student, writer, and activist who is on a mission to help people better understand Autism. Throughout his life, he was told he wouldn’t be successful because he was on the spectrum. But time and time again, he proved the naysayers wrong. His goal in life is to inspire people with his story and help bring attention to Autism in the world.
