I used to get into the rah rah rah “Autism Awareness month. Now it is Autism Acceptance, but it is still Wednesday in my house.

Our son is 30 years old. He has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is intelligent, handsome, and very talented. He can sing any song at perfect pitch. He can recite Shakespeare beautifully using an English accent. Yet, no one is banging down our doors to have him participate in Shakespearean theater or perform live on their stage, gracing the world with his melodious voice. He is, at the end of the day, a 6’5″ disabled man, and the world still has not grown in acceptance enough to open its arms to his uniqueness.

He most certainly can perform in groups designed for those with special needs. Of course, the kindest hearts, most accepting people reside in the world of “Different not less” which has been our slogan for quite some time..

Am I bitter? Sometimes. My son was diagnosed at a time when ASD was not as common. Therefore, the multitude of services and acceptance we find today did not exist. Thanks to myself and the warrior parents that I walk this path with, hard work, perseverance, and advocacy created the opportunities that one receiving the diagnosis now is fortunate enough to see. I, and countless others, sacrificed our careers, financial securities, and emotional well-being to put our children first in a world that was unforgiving and far from welcoming.

Just a simple flap of the arms was enough to send some folks running far from our “weird kids”. In those days, it was almost shameful to have an openly autistic child, yet today some folks act as though it is a status symbol. My son is 30, those years when we were stared at are not so long ago.

It is neither shameful nor a status symbol. Our kids, our adults, are human beings deserving of the same rights, love, acceptance, and future that is available to every other human being.

One month. April. And throughout that month, they are recognized and cared about. Just one month out of 12, they are welcome in this world.

It is unacceptable, and this is why I am not a fan of this or, in fact, any of the “months”. Acceptance and proper treatment for all needs to be available for all 12 months, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We need more employment opportunities. We need proper adult housing solutions; we need the cities, the states, and the federal government to provide more aid and to NEVER even consider cutting the budget for their support and services. We need our loved ones and THEIR loved ones, we parents, their siblings, and those who care for them, to be respected, invited, and welcomed. We have essentially created our own world, yet we somehow still pay for and work in the world we are not enveloped in, as others are. Changing this would prove true acceptance.

And that takes more than 30 days.

Now, I will indeed celebrate my son and his friends, many of whom have jobs, have completed high school, college, and volunteer to help others. Most give far more to their communities than those who are not on the spectrum. I will applaud their successes and pray for their futures.

Although these years have been far from easy, they have come with amazing blessings. There are no friends truer than the friends one makes among the community that supports their disabled children/adults. I am filled with gratitude that I get to walk amongst these warriors.

I will continue to advocate and pursue acceptance for those in our community. For they are destined to leave in an indelible mark upon our lives and this world.

Autism Acceptance Month, or more commonly known in our house-“Every Month”.

r