Autism rights movement

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Neurodiversity paradigm
Philosophy Autism rights movement Bodily autonomy Disability rights movement Independent living movement Self-advocacy
Organizations Aspies For Freedom Autism Network International Autistic Self Advocacy Network National Autistic Society
Events Autism Acceptance Day & Month Autism History Month Autistic Pride Day Autscape Disability Day of Mourning Neurodiversity Celebration Week Weird Pride Day
Issues Ableism Anti-autism All in a Row Applied behavior analysis Augmentative and alternative communication Autism-friendly Autism Speaks Communication Shutdown Community integration Controversies in autism Deinstitutionalisation Disability-selective abortion Double empathy problem Employment Ethical challenges to autism treatment Eugenics Facilitated communication Filicide Inclusion in education Inclusion as a right Judge Rotenberg Center Neurodiversity and labor rights Social model of disability Societal and cultural aspects of autism Universal Design for Learning Violence
People Alex Plank Ari Ne'eman Damian Milton Daniel Lightwing Devon Price Donna Williams govy Greta Thunberg Jim Sinclair John Elder Robison Josef Schovanec Judy Singer Julia Bascom Lydia Brown Mel Baggs Michelle Dawson Morénike Giwa Onaiwu Morton Ann Gernsbacher Nick Walker Robert Chapman Roy Richard Grinker Shain Neumeier Stephen Shore Steve Silberman Temple Grandin William Davenport M. Remi Yergeau
Films Citizen Autistic Deej Loving Lampposts Neurotypical
Criticism Pro-cure perspective National Council on Severe Autism Matthew Belmonte Manuel Casanova Jill Escher Michael Fitzpatrick Bruce Hall David Miedzianik Jonathan Mitchell Alysson Muotri Jonathan Shestack Alison Singer
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The autism rights movement, also known as the autistic acceptance movement, is a social movement allied with the disability rights movement. It emphasizes the neurodiversity paradigm, viewing autism as a set of naturally occurring variations in human cognition, a disability with both strengths and weaknesses, rather than as a disease to be cured or a medical disorder.^[2] This paradigm contradicts and diverges from the medical model of disability, without opposing all aspects of it.^[3][4][5]

Central to the autism rights movement's beliefs is the right to self-determine if one is part of the autism community, that autistic people should be seen as the primary voice for people with autism, and that autistic people have the final say in what language should be used when talking about autism. A common motto used by the autism rights movement, borrowed from the disability rights movement, is the phrase "nothing about us without us".^[6]

Autism rights movement advocates strive for widespread acceptance of people with autism, as well as the traits and behaviors (e.g. stimming, lack of eye contact, and special interests) associated with autism, for autistic people to socialize on their own terms,^[7] and to mitigate the double empathy problem.^[8][9] The movement seeks to reform and foster autism-oriented interventions and therapies in accordance with neurodiversity principles to emphasize coping skills for challenging situations,^[10] promote adaptive skills, and promote psychological well-being and mental health, through incorporating voices and perspectives of autistic people in intervention reforms or developments.^{[11][12][13][14][15][16]}

The movement criticizes therapies and interventions that—implicitly or explicitly—encourage masking behaviors associated with autism and imitating neurotypical social behaviors,^[17][18] as higher tendencies of camouflaging, autistic masking, or passing as neurotypical are associated with worse mental health outcomes according to most recent studies and multiple systematic reviews^[19][20][21] and some autistic adults who experienced some forms of behavioral interventions reported adverse effects such as detrimental effects on their mental health due to increased or excessive camouflaging or masking.^[22][23][24]

The movement also advocates for people with autism to be recognized as a minority group rather than as having a disorder. Within the autism rights movement, autism is often compared to different variations in human biology not categorized as disorders, such as homosexuality.^[25]