Why I Didn’t “Light It Up Blue” for Autism Awareness Day

Today was Autism Awareness Day, and once again, I didn’t “light it up blue.” I won’t do it next year either. Here’s why.

The "Light It Up Blue" campaign is heavily associated with Autism Speaks, an organisation that claims to advocate for autistic people but, in reality, does far more harm than good. Autism Speaks has a long history of treating Autism as a disease that needs to be "cured" rather than an integral part of a person’s identity. Their past campaigns have compared Autism to a tragic epidemic, portraying Autistic people as burdens on their families instead of human beings deserving of respect, inclusion, and support.

For years, Autism Speaks funnelled the majority of its funding into research aimed at eliminating Autism rather than into direct support for Autistic individuals. Even today, despite some surface-level changes, they still do not meaningfully prioritise Autistic voices or support the needs of the community. The organisation has been widely condemned by Autistic self-advocates and disability rights groups, and many of us in the community refuse to support them.

Instead of blue, I stand in solidarity with Autistic people by supporting the #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs movements—because Autism awareness is not enough. We need acceptance, accommodation, and action.

If you want to truly support Autistic people, listen to Autistic voices. Support organisations that actually help Autistic individuals, like the Aspect - Autism Spectrum Australia or local disability support groups. Advocate for accessible workplaces, inclusive schools, and better disability services.

Autistic people don’t need “awareness.” We need understanding, respect, and a society that sees us as valuable, just as we are.

Want to hear from other Autistic adults about why we don't wear blue or support Autism Speaks? Check out these blog posts:

Autism Awareness Harms: Why I Don’t Wear my Blue Shirt in April:
https://wwda.org.au/our-resources/blog/autism-awareness-harms-why-i-dont-wear-my-blue-shirt-in-april/

5 Shocking Reasons NOT to Light it Up Blue for Autism Day:
https://www.empoweredneurofamilies.com/blog/do-not-light-it-up-blue

If you like my music, you may find the articles I write interesting as well. An easy way to "subscribe" on Mastodon is by following https://defcon.social/@juanirming

Here is something I wrote on autism awareness last year for Autism acceptance month

https://emergentdivergence.com/2024/04/04/the-internet-on-autism-awareness-month-and-acceptance/

Hi, I am new here.

I am here to find other people with #autism.

I am mid 30 and just slowly processing that I might have it. Things make sense slowly. I hope it helps to be here and connect with other people and talk about it, because in my real life I struggle with that.

Not diagnosed. Not ready for that quite yet and also not sure if I even should. Curious about your opinions on that..

Excited and bit scared to meet you all!

#neurodivergent
#autistic
#neurodiversity

Engaging panel on neurodiversity in academic libraries, chaired by Josh Sendall, w/ Caroline Ball, Andrew Walsh, & Jo Fitzpatrick. Personal accounts of how tiring masking is (i.e. presenting yourself to different audiences), thinking you were depressed when you had ADHD, recognising school issues now you're a diagnosed adult, or only being diagnosed once your own children are diagnosed.

Please consider neurodiversity proactively when designing spaces and processes!

"In the world of #Palestinian activism, the plight of autistic people is often overlooked...Speaking about the plight of our #autistic friends and family members can loosen the clutches ever so slightly. In a world where Palestinians are constantly and aggressively silenced, these #voices [also] need to be heard."

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israeli-occupation-further-isolates-autistic-children-how

#autism #palestine #westbank

(#trauma also causes #neurodiversity as neuro pathways generate or reroute to respond, endure, and anticipate the new stimuli)

#neurodiversity #mentalhealth

The face of someone who has been through a seemingly neverending war of emotional and mental adversity, both within myself and from other people and yet has still managed to keep himself alive through sheer determination and survival instinct. It is only in these recent years that I have truly started to push back and stand up for myself properly, and developed proper boundaries and red lines…

Rocket Science & Autism (yes, I can and so can you)

When I say I love learning, I mean it. From neuroscience to cuneiform, my autistic brain thrives on deep dives into complex subjects. That's why I’m currently taking "Rocket Science for Everyone" at Yale University via Coursera.

Here are six fascinating facts I learned about orbital mechanics—yes, the physics that keeps satellites in space!

We don’t have to live in the world of “shoulds” or chase their “normal.”

Found this great resource:
https://autisticgirlsnetwork.org/downloads/

You can download "passports" for free for yourself and/or someone you support who has autism. Generally geared towards girls, but this includes gender diverse individuals.

#neurodiversity
#neurodiversitypride
#ActuallyAutistic
#autismacceptance
.
Sudden vision, somebody make me a cartoon, poor kid - us - with several missing puzzle-cut pieces. Some "helpful." people come along, having found a piece and putting it in our person, one at a time, and we get sadder each time, and after the last one, people all patting each other's backs over a job well done - we're an angry cop
.
yaaay

My child has autism. Trump and RFK Jr linking it to vaccines scares parents like me https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/29/autism-vaccines-trump-rfk-jr-parents #Trumpadministration #RobertFKennedyJr #Neurodiversity #Healthpolicy #DonaldTrump #USpolitics #Society #USnews #Autism #Health

Maybe I’m Amazed by John Harris review – a father and his autistic son bond through music https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/29/maybe-im-amazed-by-john-harris-review-a-father-and-his-autistic-son-bond-through-music #Autobiographyandmemoir #Neurodiversity #Lifeandstyle #Musicbooks #Culture #Autism #Family #Books

If you missed my free public workshop about making the “I’m autistic conversation go better, the recording and transcript are now available for everyone:

https://www.autismchrysalis.com/2025/03/14/practical-tips-for-disclosing-your-autism/

All of this.
#AutisticCommunity #actuallyautistic #neurodiversity #neurodiverse #autismacceptance

This is why littering your post with emojis is stupid.

Does anyone have good alternatives to happy hour gatherings after work? We have vendors who visit and offer appetizers and drinks in a bar where people can come and go as they like.

For me, I don't drink and the noise in a bar is distracting for conversations. But I'm struggling to come up with a good alternative based on price and convenience.

Any thoughts?