Editing Autism rights movement (section)

{{Short description|Disability rights movement}}
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{{Autism rights movement}}
[[File:Autism spectrum infinity awareness symbol.svg|thumb|alt=Autism acceptance symbol; an infinity symbol that is rainbow colored.|The rainbow-colored [[infinity symbol]] is a popular symbol among autism rights advocates. The symbol represents the infinite potential and diversity of the autistic community, reflecting the unique strengths and qualities of each autistic individual..<ref name="symbol" >{{cite web |title="What is rainbow infinity" |url=https://autisticprideday.org/about-us/what-is-rainbow-infinity }}</ref>]]
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 cognitive difference with both strengths and weaknesses, rather than as a disease to be cured or a medical disorder.<ref name="Solomon">{{cite news |last=Solomon |first=Andrew |date=2008-05-25 |title=The autism rights movement |url=https://nymag.com/news/features/47225/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527025140/http://nymag.com/news/features/47225/ |archive-date=27 May 2008 |access-date=2008-05-27 |work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]}}</ref> This paradigm contradicts and diverges from the [[medical model of disability]], without opposing all aspects of it.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last1=Dwyer |first1=Patrick |title=The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers? |journal=Human Development |date=2022 |volume=66 |issue=2 |pages=73–92 |doi=10.1159/000523723 |pmid=36158596 |pmc=9261839 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ne’eman |first1=Ari |last2=Pellicano |first2=Elizabeth |title=Neurodiversity as Politics |journal=Human Development |date=2022 |volume=66 |issue=2 |pages=149–157 |doi=10.1159/000524277 |pmid=36714278 |pmc=9881465 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0_21 |chapter=Critiques of the Neurodiversity Movement |title=Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement |date=2020 |last1=Russell |first1=Ginny |pages=287–303 |isbn=978-981-13-8436-3 }}</ref>

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 autistic people, 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".{{sfn|Kapp|2020|p=131}}

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 interest (autism)|special interests]]) associated with autism, for autistic people to socialize on their own terms,<ref name="Autreat">[http://ani.autistics.org/autreat.html Autism Network International presents Autreat.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011214035623/http://ani.autistics.org/autreat.html|date=14 December 2001}} (23 May 2008) AIN.</ref> and to mitigate the [[double empathy problem]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chapple |first1=Melissa |last2=Davis |first2=Philip |last3=Billington |first3=Josie |last4=Myrick |first4=Joe Anthony |last5=Ruddock |first5=Cassie |last6=Corcoran |first6=Rhiannon |title=Overcoming the Double Empathy Problem Within Pairs of Autistic and Non-autistic Adults Through the Contemplation of Serious Literature |journal=Frontiers in Psychology |date=27 July 2021 |volume=12 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708375 |doi-access=free |pmid=34385964 |pmc=8354525 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Finke |first1=Erinn H. |last2=Dunn |first2=Danny H. |title=Neurodiversity and double empathy: can empathy disconnects be mitigated to support autistic belonging? |journal=Disability & Society |date=23 December 2023 |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=727–750 |doi=10.1080/09687599.2023.2295802 }}</ref> The movement seeks to reform, advance, and foster autism-oriented support services, interventions or therapies in accordance with neurodiversity principles to emphasize coping skills for challenging situations,<ref name="Bigthink">{{cite web |last1=Ratner |first1=Paul |date=10 July 2016 |title=Should Autism Be Cured or Is "Curing" Offensive? |url=https://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/should-autism-be-cured-or-is-curing-offfensive |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616072634/https://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/should-autism-be-cured-or-is-curing-offfensive |archive-date=16 June 2019 |access-date=16 June 2019 |website=[[Big Think]] |language=en}}</ref> promote adaptive skills, and promote psychological well-being and mental health, through incorporating voices and perspectives of autistic people in intervention reforms, advancements, and developments.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Leadbitter |first1=Kathy |last2=Buckle |first2=Karen Leneh |last3=Ellis |first3=Ceri |last4=Dekker |first4=Martijn |date=2021-04-12 |title=Autistic Self-Advocacy and the Neurodiversity Movement: Implications for Autism Early Intervention Research and Practice |journal=[[Frontiers in Psychology]] |volume=12 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635690 |doi-access=free |pmid=33912110 |pmc=8075160 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lerner |first1=Matthew D. |last2=Gurba |first2=Ava N. |last3=Gassner |first3=Dena L. |date=2023 |title=A framework for neurodiversity-affirming interventions for autistic individuals |journal=[[Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology]] |volume=91 |issue=9 |pages=503–504 |doi=10.1037/ccp0000839 |pmc=10430771 |pmid=37578755 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pantazakos |first1=Themistoklis |last2=Vanaken |first2=Gert-Jan |date=2023-09-04 |title=Addressing the autism mental health crisis: the potential of phenomenology in neurodiversity-affirming clinical practices |journal=[[Frontiers in Psychology]] |volume=14 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1225152 |doi-access=free |pmid=37731874 |pmc=10507173 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dallman |first1=Aaron |last2=Williams |first2=Kathryn |last3=Villa |first3=Lauren |date=2022-04-15 |title=Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices are a Moral Imperative for Occupational Therapy |url=https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol10/iss2/13/ |journal=The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.15453/2168-6408.1937 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cherewick |first1=Megan |last2=Matergia |first2=Michael |date=2024-09-01 |title=Neurodiversity in Practice: a Conceptual Model of Autistic Strengths and Potential Mechanisms of Change to Support Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing in Autistic Children and Adolescents |journal=Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=408–422 |doi=10.1007/s41252-023-00348-z |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dwyer |first1=Patrick |last2=Gurba |first2=Ava N |last3=Kapp |first3=Steven K |last4=Kilgallon |first4=Elizabeth |last5=Hersh |first5=Lynnette H |last6=Chang |first6=David S |last7=Rivera |first7=Susan M |last8=Gillespie-Lynch |first8=Kristen |title=Community views of neurodiversity, models of disability and autism intervention: Mixed methods reveal shared goals and key tensions |journal=Autism |date=18 September 2024 |doi=10.1177/13623613241273029 |pmid=39291753 }}</ref>

The movement criticizes therapies and interventions that—implicitly or explicitly, unintentionally or intentionally—encourage [[Autistic masking|masking]] behaviors associated with autism and imitating neurotypical social behaviors,<ref name=":3">{{cite journal |last1=Ne'eman |first1=Ari |title=When Disability Is Defined by Behavior, Outcome Measures Should Not Promote "Passing" |journal=AMA Journal of Ethics |date=July 2021 |volume=23 |issue=7 |pages=E569–575 |doi=10.1001/amajethics.2021.569 |pmid=34351268 |pmc=8957386 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Schuck |first1=Rachel K. |last2=Geng |first2=Alicia |last3=Doss |first3=Yvette |last4=Lin |first4=Florence |last5=Crousore |first5=Hannah |last6=Baiden |first6=Kaitlynn M. P. |last7=Dwyer |first7=Patrick |last8=Williams |first8=Zachary J. |last9=Wang |first9=Mian |title=A qualitative investigation into autistic adults' perspectives on intervention goals for autistic children |journal=Neurodiversity |date=January 2024 |volume=2 |doi=10.1177/27546330241266718 }}</ref> 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<ref name=":4">{{cite journal |last1=Zhuang |first1=Sici |last2=Tan |first2=Diana Weiting |last3=Reddrop |first3=Susan |last4=Dean |first4=Lydia |last5=Maybery |first5=Murray |last6=Magiati |first6=Iliana |title=Psychosocial factors associated with camouflaging in autistic people and its relationship with mental health and well-being: A mixed methods systematic review |journal=Clinical Psychology Review |date=November 2023 |volume=105 |pages=102335 |doi=10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102335 |pmid=37741059 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Klein |first1=Jessica |last2=Krahn |first2=Rachel |last3=Howe |first3=Stephanie |last4=Lewis |first4=Jessi |last5=McMorris |first5=Carly |last6=Macoun |first6=Sarah |title=A systematic review of social camouflaging in autistic adults and youth: Implications and theory |journal=Development and Psychopathology |date=7 October 2024 |pages=1–15 |doi=10.1017/S0954579424001159 |pmid=39370528 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite journal |last1=Khudiakova |first1=Valeria |last2=Russell |first2=Emmeline |last3=Sowden-Carvalho |first3=Sophie |last4=Surtees |first4=Andrew D.R. |title=A systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health outcomes associated with camouflaging in autistic people |journal=Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders |date=October 2024 |volume=118 |pages=102492 |doi=10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102492 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=Laura K |title=Autistic experiences of applied behavior analysis |journal=Autism |date=April 2023 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=737–750 |doi=10.1177/13623613221118216 |pmid=35999706 }}</ref><ref name=":7">{{cite journal |last1=McGill |first1=Owen |last2=Robinson |first2=Anna |title='Recalling hidden harms': autistic experiences of childhood applied behavioural analysis (ABA) |journal=Advances in Autism |date=26 October 2021 |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=269–282 |doi=10.1108/aia-04-2020-0025 |url=https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/73753/1/McGill_Robinson_AA_2020_autistic_experiences_of_childhood_Applied_Behavioural_Analysis.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=McCormack |first1=Lynne |last2=Wong |first2=Sze Wing |last3=Campbell |first3=Linda E. |title='If I don't Do It, I'm Out of Rhythm and I Can't Focus As Well': Positive and Negative Adult Interpretations of Therapies Aimed at 'Fixing' Their Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Childhood |journal=Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders |date=September 2023 |volume=53 |issue=9 |pages=3435–3448 |doi=10.1007/s10803-022-05644-6 |pmid=35781855 |pmc=10465631 }}</ref>

The movement also advocates for autistic people 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]].<ref name="Jaarsma20122">{{cite journal |last1=Jaarsma |first1=Pier |last2=Welin |first2=Stellan |date=March 2012 |title=Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement |journal=Health Care Analysis |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=20–30 |doi=10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9 |pmid=21311979 |url=http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-72172}}</ref>