Autistic Pride Day

Organisations around the world celebrate Autistic Pride Day with events to connect with one another, and demonstrate to allistic (non-autistic) people that autistic people are not in need of a cure. Autistic activists have contributed to a shift in attitudes away from the notion that autism is a deviation from the norm that must be treated or cured. Autistic self-advocacy organizations, which are led and run by autistic people, are a key force in the movement for autistic acceptance and autistic pride. Joseph Redford, an organiser for Autistic Pride at London's Hyde Park, stated in a speech that the concept of autistic pride is not about a single day or event: == Origin ==

Autistic Pride Day was first celebrated in 2005, by Aspies For Freedom (AFF), who selected 18 June because it was the birthday of the youngest member of the group at that time. AFF modelled the celebration on the gay pride movement. ==Development==

As autistic pride has continued to develop, autistic advocates have become increasingly professionalised, with Autistic Pride Reading incorporating as a charity in 2018, and holding a pride event which attracted over 700 people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with physical events impossible, autistic advocates collaborated under the Autistic Pride Alliance to create an Autistic Pride Online Celebration which hosted speakers from four continents. Autistic Pride Day 2020 was an eleven-hour marathon that was hosted on YouTube and the event was repeated in 2021. In Australia, an official Autistic Pride Day organization was created in 2023 in partnership with the City of Sydney. The organization released an official logo for the event, featuring three concentric infinity symbols, which are coloured with a gradient of red and green, intentionally avoiding the blue that is associated with Autism Speaks. == Events ==

There have been a number of Autistic Pride Day events hosted over the years to promote the self-affirmation, identity, dignity and equality of autistic people around the world. Most events happen during the summer months between June and August. ==See also==