Inclusion & Acceptance

Vigil Report: Virtual Vigil and Boston
From Disability Right Now by Erin Lewy I was fortunate enough to attend vigils for George Hodgins both virtually and in Boston. Each left a…

Awareness Is Not Enough
by Kathryn Bjornstad-Kelly I knew autism awareness before I knew I was Autistic. I didn’t know what autism was, but I heard the word all…

Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month 2012!
Greetings and Happy April 2012! The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by posting essays in the blog section of our website…

From the Pro-Neurodiversity Trenches
by Paula C. Durbin-Westby Early intervention and treatment is important! If caught early enough, negative attitudes toward autism and other disabilities can be minimized…

Workplace Interpersonal Skills
by Kate Gladstone As I was heading homeward on the bus at 6:03, I overheard two people, and they were discussing me: My workplace…

Join Us For Your Local Vigil – March 30th
Most of you received Zoe’s moving e-mail message last week, announcing March 30th as a national day of mourning for George Hodgins, Tracy Latimer and…

Take Action: Help Us Mourn Murders of Disabled People
By Zoe Gross. On March 6th, 2012 George Hodgins, a 22-year old autistic man living in Sunnyvale, California, was murdered by his mother. This past Friday, I helped organize a vigil for George and other disabled people killed by their family members. We’re calling for volunteers to organize vigils in their local communities on or around March 30th.

Autism Acceptance Events and Their History
by Meg Evans The United Nations designated April 2, 2008, as World Autism Day to raise awareness of the need to improve education, career…

Remarks on the Murder of George Hodgins
George Hodgins, an autistic adult living in Sunnyvale, CA, was murdered by his own mother. In the aftermath of his death, much of the public discussion surrounding his killing focused on expressing sympathy for his killer. ASAN Member Zoe Gross of Oakland, CA objected to this and helped organize a candlelit vigil

Loud Hands Project Update
We did it! After 80 days, several interviews, too many tumblr posts, an ambitious blog carnival, hundreds of shared facebook updates and tweets, thousands of emails to families, friends, coworkers, and arch-nemeses, and a constant, concerted effort by the Autistic community

Joint ASAN-Autism Society Statement on DSM-5
One of the key principles of the medical profession has always been, “First, do no harm.” As such, it is essential that the DSM-5’s criteria ensure that those who have or would have qualified for a diagnosis under the DSM-IV maintain access to an ASD diagnosis.