Amy Sequenzia has written an honest, balanced, and optimistic reflection on what happened for autistic people in 2012.
She acknowledges that the year has been painful and that we have not always seen the progress we need:
Some days were so sad, many of us could barely keep breathing.
Autistics continue to be murdered by family members, only because they are autistics.
Others are still abused, neglected, denied life saving measures and dying, sometimes because they cannot, or will not, speak.
But autistic people have taken a more active role than we ever have in the past:
In 2012 many of us reached out to the mainstream media to complain, respond and educate them on autism. We even had a few successes. We will not stop now.
For the first time, autistic voices were part of a congressional hearing (10,11). We fought to be included, and we won. It is now on the record, where policies are made, some of the things that are important to us. And it was also made clear that we resent being seen as, and called, “burdens”; and that we see our acceptance and inclusion as a civil rights issue.
Real progress is happening because autistic people and our allies are making it happen. And it is worth celebrating:
I learned, in 2012, to type Eeeeeeeeee! for happiness.
So, I say: Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! We are awesome!
