This Is Asperger's. This Is Autism.

These images and words are intended to show the general public who and what we are. Hopefully this project and others like it will undo some of the damage about Asperger's and Autism generated in the media in the past week. If you would like to add your photo or text to this page, please go over to my contact page and get in touch. Think CAREFULLY before you send photos of your children. I have decided not to post pictures of children, in order to protect their privacy. The only exceptions will be people I know fairly well. There are many images that parents have created, that are beautiful and wonderful, but I am going to focus on adults here. The images and words about our wonderful children are important for people to see and read, to understand something about us. I suggest you go to the links below to find other images.

These images WILL show up in search engines and are very public. They will show up in searches on my name, in particular. BUT, please do not assume you have permission to use these images. You don't, unless you ask each person in the images. Thank you.

Autistic people, people who identify as having Asperger's or another autism spectrum condition, people with other disabilities, allies, parents, friends, community members, please feel free to send your images. 

NEW: Text-based submissions will be accepted and will be interspersed with the photo images. Cartoons OK, too. Basic rules: Must not be "too long" (do your own blog entry for that!) and must stay to the topic of "This Is Asperger's. This Is Autism." Following basic netiquette will be a plus.

Other initiatives include Autism Shines on Facebook, which has many more images than this one.

Another Facebook page is Autistics, Not Monsters

Many beautiful images and words at 
ThAutcast: Asperger's and Autism Community

The Autistic Adults Picture Project is one of the, or the, oldest collections of photos and text regarding Autistic adults.

Note that some of these images express our very real fears; others celebrate the joy of human diversity. 

I am planning to write transcripts for all the images that have text, as soon as I get a chance. 

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/12/journalism-newtown-autistics

"I've put the following on the image where I've posted it:

Since this image is starting to get passed around, I want to make it clear- I own my autism the same way I own my intelligence- it is integral to me, not something I can or would have removed from myself... and, like my intelligence, I am not afraid to put the intensity, focus, drive and passion that come with that aspect of myself to work making change where change is needed."