The origins of Âû the Âutistic Ûnion have been relatively unknown until now.
Most people in the community will have heard of Light It Up Gold and seen the Âû placed after people’s names on Facebook , but little of the origins of this organisation and how it came to be is public knowledge. I decided to delve deeper and found that the origins began in 2012 after the gap for acceptance for adults and children on the spectrum came to the attention of a group of Autists on Facebook.
Elinor Broadbent Âû and La Lione Âû who run the organisation along with Xandra Black and Maqqi Mucoi Amolngatti Âû briefed me on the history of all that is Âû. Autistics were beginning to come out as being proud of the neurodiversity they possessed.
The negative Autism Speaks type attitude in groups, research for cure and parents divided on accepting their children or looking for ways to make them more neurotypical left members with Autism looking for a place of belonging. A place their pride could be displayed and celebrated, a way to show themselves to others in the community. Thus Âû was created and ten rules that members could refer to and would need to follow and agree with to put the initials of Âû after their names and show they were now members of the Âutistic Ûnion.
The 10 points of Âû
What does the Âû after my name mean?
1. I am Autistic
2. I embrace my Autism as a very significant part of my identity.
3 I embrace those who would sacrifice to protect all Autistic life.
4 I embrace the belief that Autism doesn’t need any “curing”.
5 I embrace the self advocacy goal of “Everything about us, with us.”
6 I embrace the definition of Autism as a neuro-social difference .
7 I embrace measures directed at protecting Autistics from attack.
8 I embrace a person centred approach to all Autism issues.
9 I embrace rigorous scientific approaches to co-occurring conditions.
10 I embrace Autistics leading their own welfare organisations.