Autism Acceptance Month 2026

Autism Acceptance Month 2026 - Celebrate Differences

Over the past few years in my previous charity worker role, I wrote an annual blog post about Autism Acceptance Month and I wasn't sure whether I should do this as a freelancer with my own personal opinions. But it is a topic I care deeply about and so here I find myself at the end of the month sharing a few thoughts.

When researching the theme for this year's Autism Acceptance Month, I saw two different suggestions. One was the theme 'Autism is' and the other was 'Celebrate Differences.' It seems that the theme that is mostly being observed is 'Celebrate Differences,' but in fact the two theme suggestions go together well. For so long the focus on autistic people has been to look at them through a deficit lens and there are so many misconceptions around what it actually is to be autistic.

Autism is a neurological condition which affects around 1 in 100 people, although with increasing rates of diagnosis due to improved information, the number is likely to be much higher. [1]According to the Autistic Girls Network, the research now points to the number being closer to 1 in 30. Many girls and women remain undiagnosed, with around 80% of autistic girls remaining so when they reach the age of adulthood at 18. At present it appears to be three times higher in boys due to the difference in the way the condition presents itself in those assigned male or female at birth, and girls are known to be extremely adept at masking autistic behaviours to fit in with their peers.

This leads me back to the theme of the month – Celebrating Differences. If we lived in a world that was more accepting of differences rather than trying to fit people into a neat box, autism would not be seen as a deficit in the way it has been for too long. [2]In the past couple of years the language used around the condition has shifted from ASD to ASC, as medical professionals now recognise that autism is not something that is inherently pathological or needs to be fixed. Although the diagnostic criteria remains the same (and needs updating to recognise autistic behaviours in female presentation), it is recognised that individuals can have very different strengths, needs, and experiences. The move towards using the term ASC is also aligned with the neurodiversity model, which recognises autism as a natural variation in human neurodevelopment rather a disease or disorder. In society at large, we have recognised over the years that language that is discriminatory in terms of age, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation needs to change to move towards language that is more respectful and inclusive, so this latest update to terminology around autism is also to be celebrated.

One project I have been working on and changing over the past few months is the Spark Your Inner Glimmer project for neurodivergent girls. This includes girls who may have ADHD, OCD or other neurodevelopmental conditions. I am extremely passionate about helping young women who are neurodivergent recognise that their differences can make them uniquely beautiful and of value, especially as so many struggle with self-esteem because of their perceived differences. As a girl I was unaware I was neurodivergent myself and this led to years of chronic, low self-esteem, people pleasing and a lack of assertiveness in relationships. If girls are taught early on to embrace who they are and not hide their differences or sensory needs, I believe they will have the confidence to form more positive relationships with themselves and then with others. I also believe that having positive neurodivergent role models is part of the solution to recognise what amazing things autistic girls can accomplish. Some of the world's greatest thinkers, creators, innovators, scientists, mathematicians, musicians and artists are on the autism spectrum, so why would we not want to celebrate having an autistic brain? I acknowledge that I write this as someone who does not have higher support needs, but all autistic people have unique strengths that make this world a much richer place.

Last week I was messaging the author Holly Smale as the second season of Geek Girl is out very soon and I was telling her how much the main character Harriet resonated with me as my younger self. She said that the series is her way of screaming into the void 'Wake Up!' There is indeed still so much to do to change perspectives in society on what it means to be autistic and to move away from the stereotypes. The main character in Geek Girl, Harriet Manners is intelligent, passionate, enthusiastic about random facts and specific topics, sensitive, fiercely loyal and empathetic. She is also insecure at times, uncoordinated and socially awkward, which is what the bullies focus on rather than all her amazing strengths. But after opportunities come her way and she learns to embrace these with the support from a few people around her, she finds her voice and begins to believe in herself. Harriet is the character that led me to seek a diagnosis, and also to start to accept that difference can be a positive thing. As she says in the prologue 'sometimes in life, to fit in, you need to learn to stand out.'

Finally, I am aware that celebrating differences is tied in strongly to the concept of self-esteem. As I already mentioned at the start of this article, neurodivergent young people often struggle with self-esteem, but they are not alone in this. In fact, one third of young people overall are said to experience low self-esteem, with this being double the number in girls. Whether neurodivergent or neurotypical, young people need to be able to celebrate what is precious and unique about them. I[3] was fortunate to have been asked by Catherine Kirk and the Achieve Well team in Nottingham to write the materials for RSE Day this year which were all themed around the topic of 'It Begins With Me.' Schools and parents can download these to use with their students and young people to help them think about positive self-esteem and reflecting this back upon others. Many of the arts and craft based or discussion activities can be used to celebrate the differences we all have in our skills, talents and personalities. It was helpful for myself personally to reflect on the things that make me feel happy, confident and alive. RSE is one of those things and I hope that this summer, many schools will get involved with the day on June 25th to celebrate all the amazing things about the young people in their midst. Acceptance starts with ourselves and I hope that anyone reading this blog about Autism Acceptance month will know that they are brilliant just as they are!

If you have any questions after reading this article or would like to know about RSE lessons and training, please do get in touch with me at beeinformedrshe@gmail.com

I would also be keen for schools to help me pilot the Spark Your Inner Glimmer sessions, so do get in touch to find out more about this or check out my webpage link. https://www.cherubteacherrshe.co.uk/

(My pop art/fan art depiction of Harriet Manners)

[1] https://autisticgirlsnetwork.org/knowledge_base/autism-and-girls/

[2] https://oxfordpsychiatrygroup.com/why-autism-is-now-often-referred-to-as-autism-spectrum-condition-asc/

[3] https://www.rseday.com/