When Awareness Isn’t Enough

I’d like to share a message as we close out Autism Awareness Month. During this time we try to take a deeper look into the nuances of the Spectrum. However, it’s pretty clear we still have a lot of work to do. How can we turn our words into action?

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), affects how individuals communicate, interact, and experience the world. Because it exists on a spectrum, autistic people have diverse strengths, challenges, and perspectives.

Autism Awareness Month shines a spotlight on these differences. It encourages communities to learn more, challenge stereotypes, and create spaces where autistic individuals feel seen and supported. But are we really accepting these differences.

In 2026, people still don’t understand what autism really is and have difficulties accepting it. Many autistic adults , particularly females have learned to mask. Masking refers to camouflaging autistic traits to more “social acceptable ones.” This can look like stopping stimming(repetitive movements), forcing eye contact, social mirroring, conforming interests and hiding sensory needs. However, these traits still come out and are not always met with acceptance. Many times autistic people feel unsupported and invalidated in workplaces and social spaces. Studies show these individuals are often under or un-employed and lack friendships or romantic partners. People on the Spectrum are also at a higher risk fo developing mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, especially when unsupported. We can do better.

So how can we improve? The reality is we can never have perfect acceptance. Autism presents itself in so many ways and not everyone is going to be comfortable with those behaviors. However, we can do more to build increased awareness. Listening to autistic voices is a good way to learn more about their own experience. It’s also helpful have access to sensory-friendly spaces that improve regulation. Familiarizing ourselves with behaviors like stimmining increases our knowledge of Autism. understands this more. Learning about inclusion through workshops and continued educations are ways we can work together for more inclusion. Let’s continue to work on Autism awareness beyond this month!