Autistic Pride Day

**Autistic Pride Day** is a pride celebration for autistic fowk haud on 18t Juin ivery year. Autistic pride kens the importance o pride for autistic fowk an its role in bringin aboot positive chynges in the broader society.

Awtho Autistic Pride Day is on 18t Juin, pride events are haud aften on the weekend o that year for logistical raisons, but can be haud at ony time durin the year.

## Origins
Autistic Pride Day wis first celebratit in 2005 bi Aspies For Freedom (AFF), thit selectit the 18t Juin acause it wis the birthday o the yungest memmer o the group at that time. AFF modelled the celebration aff the gay pride muivement. Bi the wey o Kabie Brook, the co-funder o Autism Rights Group Highland (ARGH), "the maist important thing tae jot doun aboot the day is thit it is an autistic community event: it stairtit frae an is still heidit bi autistic fowk wirsels", i.e. it is no a day for ither charities or organisations tae pit thaimsels forrit or stifle autistic fowk. The rainbow infinity seembol is uised as the seembol for this day, representin "diversity wi infinite variations an infinite possibilities". *New Scientist* magazine lowsed an airticle wi the title "Autistic an prood" on the first Autistic Pride Day that tawkit aboot the ideae.

Organisations oothrou the warld celebrate Autistic Pride Day, wi events aw oothrou, tae connect wi ilka aither throu autistic events an kythe tae allistic fowk (fowk thit arenae on the autism spectrum) thit autistic people are unique individuals thit sudnae be seen as cases for treatment.  Scrievin for the *Houston Press*, Jef Rouner recommendit five sangs for Autistic Pride Day thit celebrate difference an war wrat bi autistic fowk.

Autistic pride pynts oot thit autistic fowk hiv aye been an important pairt o human cultur. Bein autistic is a form o neurodiversity. Like wi aw neurodiversity forms, maist o the challenges autistic people face come frae other people's attitudes aboot autism an thare no bein support ot accommodation (ableism), raither nor bein essential tae the autistic condeetion. For exemple, bi the wey o Larry Arnold an Gareth Nelson, mony autism-relatit organizations pit forrit feelins o pity for parents, raither not garrin thaim unnerstaun.  Autistic activists hiv contreebutit tae a shift in attitudes awa frae the notion thit autism is a deviation frae the norm thit maun be treatit or cured. Autistic self-advocacy organizations, thit are heidit an run bi autistic fowk, are a key force in the muivement for autistic acceptance an autistic pride.

Joseph Redford, an organiser for Autistic Pride at London's Hyde Park, statit in a speech thit the concept o autistic pride isnae aboot ae day or event:

As autistic pride has continued tae develop, autistic advocates hiv become increasingly professionalised, wi Autistic Pride Reading incorporatin as a chairity in 2018, an haudin a pride event thit attractit ower 700 fowk.

Durin the COVID-19 pandemic, wi pheesical events impossible, autistic advocates wirkit thegither unner the Autistic Pride Alliance tae pit thegither an Autistic Pride Online Celebration thit hostit speakers frae fower continent.

## Past events
There have been a nummer o Autistic Pride Day events hostit ower the years tae pit forrit the self-affirmation, identity, dignity an equality for autistic people around the world. Maist events happen durin the summer months atweesh Juin an August. The Heid Organiser for London's Autistic Pride, thit is tradeetionally haud on the Saturday closest tae the 18t Juin, offeecially knent as Autistic Pride Day. For the last twa year, maist events drapped aff the calendar due tae the Coronavirus pandemic, replaced bi an online global iteration. Autistic Pride Day 2020 wis an eleven-oor marathon thit wis hostit on YouTube an the event wis repeatit in 2021. For 2022, mony local autistic communities are howpin tae git back tae thair previous planning for thair events.

## References

## Freemit Airtins

* Controversial New Movement: Autistic and Proud – Good Morning America – ABC June 10, 2008 
* Autism Acceptance blog 
* Autistic Empire  – General resource on details an events happenin in the autism community
* Documented events of past Autistic Pride events  
* Neurodiversity Foundation Netherlands - Neurodiversity Pride 2021 https://au-ti.com/2021/06/18/neurodiversity-foundation-hosts-star-studded-livestream-of-events-to-kickstart-autistic-pride-2021/