Understanding and accepting neurodiversity, challenging stigma and promoting acceptance of autism spectrum disorder

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day annually on April 2, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about autistic individuals throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in council on November 1, 2007, and adopted on December 18, 2007. It was proposed by Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, the United Nations Representative from Qatar, and supported by all member states.
This resolution was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly, mainly as a supplement to previous UN initiatives to improve human rights.
World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.
The terms “Autism Awareness Day” and “Autism Awareness Month” are often contested by autism rights advocates, who claim that they feed into ableism against autistic people. Such groups, including the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, advocate using the term “Autism Acceptance Day” as an alternative for both events under the belief that it promotes overcoming anti-autism prejudice rather than simply increasing awareness of autism.
Autism: also known as Autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong neurological disorder or a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race or socioeconomic status. The term Autism spectrum means a range of characteristics. It is characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour. In other words, we can say that Autism is a brain disorder that affects the ability of a person to communicate with others. It begins in childhood and lasts through adulthood.
Types of Autism Spectrum Disorder:
1. Autistic Disorder: It is also known as classic autism. It is the most general form of autism. People suffering from this disorder usually face difficulty with language interruption, social and communication challenges, and unusual behaviours and interests. Several people with this disorder may also have an intellectual disability.
2. Asperger Syndrome: People suffering from this disorder have mild symptoms of autistic disorder. They might face social challenges, unusual behaviours and interests. Therefore, we can say that people with Asperger Syndrome do not have problems with language or intellectual disabilities.
3. Pervasive Development Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS): It is also known as typical autism. People who do not meet the criteria of autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome, but not all, may be diagnosed with PDD-NOS. People who suffer from PDD-NOS have milder or fewer symptoms of autistic disorder. The symptoms may cause only social and communication challenges. On this day several international communities, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world come together to provide support and love to people with autism. All month several activities and events take place like Autism-friendly events and educational activities with an aim to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism. Educating and making people aware of autism is important. As we know the rate of autism in all regions of the world is high, so it is important to make people understand that people with autism need care, love, and support otherwise it can have an impact on the individuals, their families and communities. Every year on April 2, the United Nations Member States observe World Autism Awareness Day, which promotes action to increase public understanding of autistic people around the globe.
Dan Aykroyd: One of the most famous people with Asperger’s Syndrome is popular comedic actor Dan Aykroyd. He had already been expelled from two different schools by the time a doctor diagnosed him with mild Asperger’s as a child. Since then, Aykroyd has been pretty honest and up-front about his experiences with the autism spectrum. The Academy Award-nominated actor and writer has even spoken to a great extent about how his experiences with autism contributed to his character in Ghostbusters.
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875): The experts go back and forth over whether Hans Christian Anderson, the beloved writer of such fairy tales as The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling, was autistic or not. Most of those who insist that he appeared somewhere on the autism spectrum are those who are autistic themselves and therefore can relate to Andersen on a personal level. For example, Andersen’s diary describes in great length his many bouts of unrequited love for those who were unattainable — a common personal experience, say those on the spectrum who can relate. They also cite the recurring theme of outcast characters in his stories. Most never achieve their sought-after happy endings.
Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)/Benjamin Banneker was an African-American: Banneker lived as a free man in 18th century America. Plenty of contemporary documents refer to Banneker’s “unparalleled brilliance” and “odd methods of behaviour,” lending credence to the common idea that Banneker had a high-functioning form of autism spectrum disorder. He was known to fixate on certain objects, such as a friend’s watch until that fixation ultimately led to an experiment or invention of his own.
Susan Boyle (1961-present): Most people know Susan Boyle as the shy Scottish introvert who sold more than 14 million albums after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent. But even more people found Boyle inspiring when she announced she had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a diagnosis that Boyle said, felt like “a relief.” Boyle is still learning about the autism spectrum and how it affects her. But as long as she keeps singing, people are sure to continue to be inspired by her.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882): Trinity College professor Michael Fitzgerald, a leading psychiatrist, researched and published a paper concluding that Charles Darwin had Asperger’s Syndrome. There are records from Darwin’s childhood that state he was a very quiet and isolated child, who avoided interaction with others as much as he could. Like so many others with Asperger’s, he sought alternative ways of communicating, such as writing letters. He had fixations with certain topics like chemistry but was a very visual thinker — all traits of someone on the autism spectrum.
Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727): Thanks to researchers at Cambridge University, we have a pretty good idea that Isaac Newton had Asperger’s Syndrome or something else on the autism spectrum. The researchers, who also argue that Albert Einstein was autistic, mention in their evidence that Newton isolated himself as much as possible. He was notoriously awkward when it came to typical daily conversation. He was not good at keeping friends and relied strongly upon routines. Lastly, there are a number of reports suggesting that he was often so focused on his work, that he went for days at a time without eating or sleeping.
Bill Gates (1955-present): Is Bill Gates autistic? Quite a few autism experts seem to think so! Nothing has ever been confirmed regarding whether or not Gates falls on the autism spectrum. However, those who seem to think he is cite things like:
• the distinct rocking motion Gates displays when he concentrates
• his shortened and monotoned speech patterns
• his habits of avoiding eye contact on the rare occasion he speaks directly with someone else
These are all common characteristics of those with autism spectrum disorder, and the evidence that Bill Gates may be autistic is quite persuasive.
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Temple Grandin (1947-present): One of the most recognized celebrities with autism is Temple Grandin. In fact, there may be no autistic person alive today more famous than Grandin. The author and Colorado State University professor didn’t begin speaking until she was almost four years old. The doctors who diagnosed her recommended she be institutionalized. Fortunately, her parents did not agree with those doctors. Grandin has gone on to: become a leading force in animal sciences; be named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, and produce an award-winning biopic about her life. She remains an outspoken advocate in the autism community. She has been unapologetic about her belief that the “characteristics of autism can be modified and controlled.”
Daryl Hannah (1960-present): Daryl Hannah — the beautiful star of films like Splash, Blade Runner, and Steel Magnolias — only came out about her experiences on the autism spectrum a few years ago. Since then, Hannah has been nothing but inspirational as she’s told the honest truth about her challenges with Asperger’s Syndrome. As a child, she rocked herself to self-soothe and was so shy that once she began acting, she refused to give interviews or even attend her own premieres. Though she has mostly learned to control and live with her diagnosis, Hannah has all but left the entertainment industry to focus on environmental issues and other passions.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): This one is especially controversial. There are those who argue that the third president of the United States fell somewhere on the autism spectrum. They cite the fact that Jefferson was well-known to have been an uncomfortable public speaker and one who could not relate well to others. A number of contemporary documents even reference Jefferson’s sensitivity to loud noises and his many strange routines, such as the constant companionship of a pet mockingbird. Despite the evidence, the best we can do when it comes to Jefferson is speculate, as most documents dating from his early life burned with his childhood home.
Steve Jobs (1955-2011): Those who associate Steve Jobs with autism admit that it’s pure speculation. They are also quick to point out that speculation has grown more and more mainstream since the Apple genius’s death in 2011. Those who believe Jobs landed somewhere on the autism spectrum cite such behavioural quirks as his:
• obsession with perfection, unorthodox ways of thinking, general lack of empathy when dealing with others
James Joyce (1882-1941): Ask any autism expert about James Joyce, and you’ll likely hear them argue that his writing itself is extreme evidence of Joyce possibly being autistic. After all, his two most famous works, “Ulysses” and “Finnegan’s Wake”, are brilliant, yet intentionally difficult to read and understand. As Joyce told Harper’s Magazine, “The demand that I make of my reader is that he should devote his whole life to reading my work.” Some claim that this intentional approach to his work showed Joyce’s desire to distance himself from society, a very autistic thing to do. These same scholars also reference Joyce’s youth. He was extremely intelligent but also suffered from a number of phobias and had trouble keeping friends.
Alfred Kinsey (1894-1956): Alfred Kinsey was a famed sexologist and biologist who founded the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. As is just about anything in his line of work, Kinsey was extremely controversial. Though the controversy surrounding his work has died down since Kinsey’s death, a new controversy has since arisen: was Kinsey autistic? Many medical professionals seem to think so. A 1999 article in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders stated that Kinsey meets the criteria for Asperger’s Syndrome because of his:“qualitative impairment in social interaction”, “failure to develop appropriate peer relationships”,“lack of social and emotional reciprocity”.
Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999): Stanley Kubrick is most famous as the innovative and exceedingly creative director of films like: But could he also have had some form of autism? The experts are split on this one. Those who argue that Kubrick was indeed autistic cite the director’s reclusive nature and his habit of hoarding animals. He was a chess mastermind and said to be uncomplimentary and cheap. Still, there are plenty of reports that refute these allegations.
Barbara McClintock (1902-1992): Barbara McClintock was a famed scientist. She made great breakthroughs in the study of chromosomes and how they change during the reproduction process. McClintock has long been thought of as autistic in some way. She had an extreme fixation on her work and was able to focus for long periods of time. She was also very particular about what she would and would not wear. She was notably reclusive and one who went to great lengths to avoid any attention in the limelight. McClintock nearly didn’t accept the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine that she was awarded for her groundbreaking work.
Michelangelo (1475-1564): Dr Muhammad Arshad published in the Royal Society of Medicine’s Journal of Medical Biography a convincing paper arguing that Michelangelo was almost certainly autistic. Another leading researcher on the topic, Professor Michael Fitzgerald, agrees. Their evidence: Such characteristics were determined through dozens of contemporary notes and letters. They are consistent with those with high-functioning autism.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Most scholars agree that musical maestro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was somewhere on the spectrum. Mozart was allegedly extremely sensitive to loud noises. He had a notoriously short attention span and could fly through a cycle of facial expressions within seconds. In one well-documented incident, a bored Mozart began doing cartwheels and vaults over tables while meowing loudly like a cat.

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Mohd Ishaq Shah