At 41 it was suggested to me by my partner that I may be autistic. My GP and my key worker agreed. I have been on the waiting list for an adult assessment for almost three years. 

There is some controversy over the word acceptance. Here’s what it means to me personally. When I have tried to discuss autism with family and friends I have lost count of the number of times I have heard “No, you are not autistic, you’ve always been weird”. 

Acceptance to me isn’t about social change or the social stigma around autism. It’s about the people closest to me acknowledging the truth of who I am. It’s about compassion and kindness and just accepting that not everybody experiences the world the same way. Much like not everybody likes the Beatles, looks good with bangs, or enjoys doing the Macarena. If experiences are what makes us, us, thank god because the world would be an incredibly boring place if every lived experience was the same.

This week gives autistic people the opportunity to amplify their voices into something louder. To discover people that can understand some of what you have been through. To work together to make ourselves heard. And best of all, not to be forgotten or ignored.

So I say to you, I am supporting World Autism Acceptance week, because quite honestly, I think the world could do with being a bit more kind.

#BeKindToDifferentMinds#acceptance#kindness#WorldAutismAcceptanceWeek