by A.R.
Area teen and autism advocate
I have always been an independent autistic person. In elementary school, I would periodically leave my friends to run around on my own, not thinking of my friends and just letting out energy. For me, independence had never been a concern. I always assumed that I was exactly how I needed to be. I felt this throughout my childhood, right up until I started high school.
High school is stressful, and I struggle with accepting that sometimes I need help while wanting to remain independent.
My hope for the loved ones of an autistic person with high support needs is to let them keep their independence, but offer help when necessary. Too often I see autistic individuals portrayed as lacking independence, and being reliant on their friends and family to do all tasks for them. This way of thinking easily overlooks how autistic people are their own people, with their own personalities, interests, and skills. For those of us who cannot verbally communicate with others, we must listen in other ways to allow them to express themselves, their needs, and their wants.
We are all unique and alive, deserving of love. We each are the culmination of billions of coincidences, over billions of years. The fact that there is life at all is incredible, and all life is equally important. Why should we treat some lives differently because they are not exactly like ours?
Everyone deserves to be supported, but not limited. Autistic individuals can still make their own choices, no matter their support needs. Because I have lower support needs does not make me less autistic, nor does having higher support needs make one less worthy of achieving their dreams.
This Fourth of July, remember that everyone is independent. Nothing can take our most fundamental freedom – our voices. We just have to make sure that all of them can be heard.
