The Autism Acceptance Project

The Autism Acceptance Project is working towards achieving acceptance and tolerance of autistic people in society. Founder and director Estée Klar-Wolfond has an autistic son and is the author of numerous journal articles on art and autism.

The Autism Acceptance Project will bring critical presentations, seeking to present balanced views. The public audience will hear from autistic people, researchers and parents who support autism ability instead of disability, and will be able to ask questions and debate the issues that confront both parents and autistic people. Exhibitions to bridge understanding about autism and humanity will also support and validate the work of autistic people.

"The reality is that there are autistic people living in the world, who need education, and that there are families who need to feel inspired and empowered, not constantly pounded with the message that their child is insufficient," writes Klar-Wolfond on her blog, www.joyofautism.blogspot.com. "This project is about celebrating human dignity and potential and seeks to perpetuate respect so that we can ask for a variety of services from educators to governments who need to recognize the individual potential of an autistic person."

This organization does not solicit funds for the cure of autism. Its primary mandate is to present critical lectures and exhibitions that will bring forth a different and positive view about autism to the public in order to create tolerance and acceptance in the community and to empower parents and autistic people. The Autism Acceptance Project seeks to debate science, autism belief, and to investigate and support educational needs backed by accurate science. TAAProject is interested in scientific and ethical answers to the question, "what kinds of help do autistics need in order to succeed and contribute to society as autistic people?" It seeks to support cognitive ability research.

"There are many autism fundraising organizations who solicit funds for autism cures. The autism community (autistic people) is dissatisfied and offended by such organizations touting autism as a tragic epidemic and illness," writes Estée Klar-Wolfond. "They believe that the relationship between illness and being autistic is misleading the public and the media. Every parent of an autistic child knows that our beautiful children demand from us a commitment to joy. Joy is struggle’s antithesis. We can not experience one without the other. By waiting for a cure, autistic people continue to be marginalized. The educational system, while improved since the seventies, still remains unprepared for the increasing number of autistic children."

From TAAProject’s website:
"Because finding joy doesn't come without struggle; Because the point is to find it; Because if an autistic person says autism is a way of being, not an illness, then it is; Because every human has value and is a joy; Because despite inhumane acts and words, we must continue to believe in humanity; But most of all, because of our children."

I applaud the positive angle TAAP has at its core and very much want to help them in their cause. We all hear how more and more children are being diagnosed with autism every day, and these children (and adolescents and adults!) need to feel loved and accepted. After all, isn’t that what all people want and need? You can learn more about the events being put on by TAAP at: http://www.taaproject.com/taapmission.cfm

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