We all want to be accepted for who we are, we all want people to like us for us, and not because they feel sorry for us. Nobody wants to be rejected because of being different than others. Unfortunately, that is a reality that is all too real for those who have disabilities, especially those who have autism.

Growing up, I have always struggled with having Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a form of Autism for those who may not know, I always got bullied, had a hard time making friends, also had a hard time in school as well.

Even teachers weren’t all that nice to me. They knew I was different and they didn’t even care. Most people do not fully understand what Autism is, which is where awareness comes in.

Most people are against Autism Awareness, as they think we should only be focusing on autism acceptance. Yes, acceptance is important but so is awareness. Without awareness, there would be no acceptance. We need to learn about what autism is, and what we can do if we, or someone we love, has it. We need to know the signs. We need to be more educated. We need to have the tools and resources for knowing what to do if one day, we have a child with Autism.

We need to help improve the lives of those with autism and we need awareness for that, all this awareness could be talking about, signs of autism, special programs, different kinds of therapy, which then leads to acceptance.

There are plenty of people that are against organizations like Autism Speaks because most of their money goes towards finding a cure, rather than improving the quality of life of someone with autism. I am against autism Speaks, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use the puzzle piece to raise awareness.

The puzzle piece represents everyone who is autistic that we come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and genders, all cultures, all walks of life. No person with autism is the same, and we are still trying to figure out what exactly causes autism.

There are also plenty of people refusing to “light it up blue” just because of Autism Speaks, which I think is ridiculous. Are they going to stop wearing pink for breast cancer awareness, just because they don’t like one particular organization?

There are many people that talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Maybe, instead of focusing so much of your time bashing an organization, why don’t you take some time and focus on a charity you do support. Maybe, raise money for a local charity, raise money for therapy dogs for children, learn more about programs for adults, learn more about how to accept people with autism.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone with autism, that is a good example of awareness leading to acceptance.

While acceptance is important, we need awareness as well. We need to know what autism is, and we need to know what signs to look for. For example, if you see a child having a meltdown in a store, don’t think of it as bratty behavior, think about the fact that maybe they are sensitive to all the sounds and lights around them. That is a sign of autism.

Awareness does bring acceptance, because, without awareness, most people wouldn’t even know what autism is. Without awareness, there would be no education on autism. Without awareness, there would be no tools and resources for families, caregivers and teachers. Without awareness, there would be no acceptance period.