Autistic Pride Day 2022: Know its history, theme, significance

Autistic Pride Day is a pride celebration for autistic people held on June 18 each year. Autistic pride recognises the importance of pride for autistic people and its role in bringing about positive changes in the broader society.

After being inspired by LGBT pride events, the first Autistic Pride Day was celebrated in 2005 by the online community Aspies for Freedom (AFF). Now it is observed in the whole world.

History:

In 2005, a group called the Aspies for Freedom established Autistic Pride Day to be held on June 18. This observance aims to heighten awareness about the value of people with autism. The effort is all about reframing the negative perception of needing to cure/treat a medical epidemic and, instead, appreciating the wonderfully unique and purposeful individuals who live with autism spectrum disorder.

Significance:

Autistic Pride Day is an initiative of Aspies for Freedom, an autism rights organisation dedicated to educating the general public about issues affecting the autistic population.

The symbol of this day is represented by rainbow infinity which represents "diversity with infinite variations and infinite possibilities".

Autistic Pride Day is a lesser-known observance. However, its significance is equal to Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Awareness Day.

Autism is a complex developmental condition caused by differences in the brain. While abilities vary greatly per person, people with autism may behave, communicate, interact and/or learn in ways that are different from others.

About 1-in-44 children are identified as having autism spectrum disorder, according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network.

Theme:

This year's World Autistic Awareness Day topic is 'Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World,' and the event will include a moderated roundtable discussion with people on the autism spectrum who have directly experienced the challenges and observed these new possibilities in the workplace.

Published on: Friday, June 17, 2022, 08:27 PM IST