April is World Autism Acceptance Month

April is World Autism Acceptance Month - a time to go beyond simply acknowledging that autistic people exist, and to ask ourselves what we are actually doing to make space for them in our society.

What is autism?

Autism influences how people experience and interact with the world. It is a lifelong neurodivergence and disability. Autistic people are all different, but for a diagnosis they must share differences from non-autistic people in how they think, feel and communicate.

More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are at least 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK*. Autism is not a single, fixed experience. Today we understand the spectrum to mean each autistic person has a unique combination of characteristics. Autistic people can be very different from each other, with different sets of strengths and challenges.

Barriers autistic people face

Despite how many people are affected, autistic people continue to face significant discrimination and barriers across all areas of society. According to the National Autistic Society, 8 in 10 autistic people experience mental health problems, and 55% avoid going out because they are worried about how people will treat them*.

Autistic people are disabled by the barriers they face in society - it is the barriers, not being autistic, that are the problem. This is sometimes called the social model of disability, and it is a helpful reminder that the work of inclusion falls on all of us.

The hidden cost of masking

One of the things that comes up most often in the counselling room is masking, and the toll it takes. Masking is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or unconsciously, to appear non-autistic in order to blend in and be more accepted in society. It might involve suppressing natural reactions, scripting conversations in advance, forcing eye contact, or hiding behaviours that help with self-regulation.

Autistic people mask for a variety of reasons, including to avoid prejudice, stigma, bullying and discrimination, and to meet social expectations and avoid social rejection. For many, it is simply a survival strategy in a world that was not designed with them in mind.

But the cost is enormous. Masking autistic characteristics and suppressing needs, preferences, instincts and coping mechanisms can result in mental and physical exhaustion, mental health difficulties, isolation, a loss of sense of self, and low self-esteem.

For those diagnosed later in life, there is often a period of grief - not just for the years spent without understanding, but for a sense of self that was shaped around hiding or feeling ashamed. It is common to have masked unconsciously for many years, meaning it can be difficult to know what kind of a person you would have been if you hadn't suppressed your autistic traits and natural instincts throughout your life.

Acceptance is not the same as awareness

It isn't enough to accept that autistic people exist. Awareness without action changes very little. True acceptance means creating environments - at home, at school, in workplaces, and in public spaces - where autistic people do not have to hide who they are to be safe or to belong.

Autistic people should never be expected to mask or be punished for not masking. Yet for many people, this remains their daily reality. Real acceptance means reducing the conditions that make masking feel necessary in the first place.

How you can get involved

The National Autistic Society are running events and fundraising activities across the country throughout April. This includes a Walk 5k this April - your walk, your way - as well as resources for schools and workplaces wanting to engage with World Autism Acceptance Month.

If you'd like to learn more or get involved, you can find out at www.autism.org.uk.

*Statistics from the National Autistic Society.