What was with hashtag #WAAM this year?
This time around I decided to dissect the acronym and hashtag used to identify April.
World Autism A____ Month. I’m SO done with Awareness and/or Acceptance.
W: Forget the “World”; I’d settle for school, community, church, transit, workplace, ____ inclusion.
The Two A’s I accept my Autism. Society needs to Appreciate autistics advocating. The second A could also stand for Assumption of Competence.
M instead of “Month”, more like Moment by Moment, or perhaps Movement.
We need to take charge of the conversation about us. #FlipTheNarrative, make an #AutisticCultureShift, as Jon Adams terms it.
So here are a few acronyms using the current lettering, and a totally new idea.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW:
Weird Autistics Articulation Month
We Autistics Are Masking
Worldwide Autistics Are Marginalized
#WAAM A load of medical papers drops on my desk—Duh research
#WAAM Another door of an employer or friend slams in my face
#WAAM Someone attacks an autistic person for not being “like their child”
#WAAM I hurt so badly for those under attack, yet am not supposed to (be able to) feel empathy
#WAAM It is only the second week of A(t)Warness—the A month in my region should be full of spring showers—now it leads to old memories and new nightmares. Autism Bewareness is one description I’read.
#WAAM bam, no thank-you, man (apologies to David Bowie!)
HOW TO REWRITE #WAAM:
We Appreciate Autistics Movement OR Worldwide Autistics Avoid Marginalization
Finally, how about a completely fresh take: SAJE
Society for Autistics on a Journey to Engagement
Senior autistics are sages, graduates of the school of hard knocks before diagnoses were available. Our lived experience should be acknowledged and welcomed.