Self-advocacy is not easy. It is true that anyone can self-advocate, even through simple actions like saying “no” to another person, or refusing to follow an imposed activity. And that’s why it can be hard to self-advocate. When we say “no”, when we refuse to do something we don’t want to do, we are said to be non-compliant.

That’s especially true for people like me, a non-speaking autistic who needs a lot of assistance with everything. It is also true for some people who live in group-homes or other facilities, where the schedule made by the staff must not be disrupted, and where individual preferences are ignored. This is ableism.

As Maggie grew older, her parents Rick and Laura suspected more and more that their daughter had autism. They knew that boys usually were diagnosed with autism more frequently than girls were. In fact, boys have 4 to 5 times more of a chance to be identified with autism than girls do.

For girls, current statistics indicate that 1 in 315 have autism. In Maggie’s case, her cousin had been diagnosed with autism as a toddler. The question for her family was whether Maggie had autism, too.

To some, Autism Awareness Month might mean purchasing puzzle shaped cookies at local restaurants in order to support a cure for autism. For others, it might mean participating in walks, writing letters to legislators, screening an autism-focused movie, or connecting with community members to raise positive awareness. But there are many different kinds of awareness. When I polled several Autistic self-advocates by asking, "Do you feel anything is missing in the big picture of Autism Awareness? If so, what changes would you like to see?" this is what they had to say:

Alyson Bradley in Christchurch, New Zealand:

We need national recognition.  This is a hard question for me because I have autistic, mental and intellectual differences.