Autistic Pride Day

We are joining others worldwide in celebrating Autistic Pride Day on June 18. It is a day to celebrate the value and contribution of autistic people.  

An autistic-run and led organization, Aspies for Freedom, started this celebration with a mission to change how autism is portrayed in the media. This is not a day for other organizations to promote themselves. Instead, “the most important thing to note about the day is that it is an autistic community event: it originated from and is still led by autistic people ourselves.”¹ 

The day has grown online and is celebrated worldwide through live events and meetups. At LDS, we are joining in the celebrations by recognizing and celebrating the contributions and perspectives of autistic colleagues, friends, students and community members.  

Autistic youth are bombarded with tons of negative messages about autism and themselves on a regular basis. This day helps change this message by focusing on the experiences of autistic people and celebrating their unique contributions and perspectives to our communities and society as a whole. With the rainbow infinity symbol, this day is an opportunity to celebrate diversity and the wealth of variation that exists among autistic people.  

• Learn more about Autistic Pride Day
• Raising an Ally: Fostering Allyships between Autistic and Neurotypical Kids 

– Sara Jane R. Walker, Senior Manager, Communications

LDS is a community of dedicated professionals that write collaboratively. We recognize the contribution of unnamed team members for their wisdom and input.

1. Kabie Brook, the co-founder of Autism Rights Group Highland (ARGH) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autistic_Pride_Day).  [↩]