Although Autism Acceptance Week is March 27-April 2, the whole of April is Autism Acceptance Month. What is autism acceptance you may ask? Simply put, it’s accepting autistic people without ostracizing them. For example, people ostracize autistic people by retaliation and discrimination. It is essential to accept autistic people by making them feel welcomed even if they experience differences. During this week and through the month of April, take time to learn about autism and neurodivergence. The latter term, coined in 1998, just means that people’s brains work differently. It includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as several other conditions. Did you know the word “autism” is no longer being used? Instead, it is referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Employers should learn about ASD; they should also be more understanding toward employees with ASD without ostracization. It takes time and work to be flexible and understanding toward ASD and autistic people. Autistic employees may want to communicate with their managers about ASD; however, they may also fear being retaliated and discriminated against. Some managers are not willing to accept people with ASD because they view autistic people as inferior. They can ostracize these employees by retaliation and discrimination. Managers and HR teams should consider working on being more understanding in dealing with ASD and toward autistic people. Autistic employees are human beings, and autistic and non-autistic people can be colleagues and friends with each other.

It is essential to be more understanding about ASD and accept autistic people. Acceptance is about embracing people as their authentic selves with their differences. People should learn to accept those with ASD without judging, retaliating or discriminating against them.

Oftentimes, acceptance is confused with awareness. Acceptance is about inclusivity and being welcomed while awareness is about acknowledging the highlight of ASD as a whole.

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