#autism charity

[giuliafc]

This year, I'm going to do it! I'm participating in the "Run4Autism" event on the 30th of July at Corkagh Park in Dublin (Ireland)!

My son is autistic, and "As I Am" has greatly helped us over the years, so this cause is important to me.

Please click on the link underneath and support me; help me raise funds for the Irish National Charity! Even a small donation would be helpful. Any little helps! I'll post pictures on the day to show you how it's going.

(I'm not an athlete, but even if I'm going to mostly walk the 5k, the important is taking part!)

https://www.idonate.ie/GiuliaClifford113

This is a link to the event if you want to find out more:

https://asiam.ie/run4autism23/

[runawaycarouselhorse]

Please help the family of a non-verbal autistic child (who has been losing weight because he only eats certain kinds of food, largely unavailable during this time) leave Gaza!

[noisycowboyglitter]

Bunny Easter Egg Jigsaw for Autism Awareness Month | 400 Piece Puzzle

The phrase "Bunny Easter Eggs Piece Autistic Different" likely refers to a unique puzzle or concept that combines Easter imagery with autism awareness. This description could represent a jigsaw puzzle or art piece designed to celebrate neurodiversity during the Easter season.

Buy now:19.95$

The design might feature colorful Easter eggs and a friendly bunny, symbols traditionally associated with Easter. However, these elements could be depicted in an unconventional manner to represent the diverse ways autistic individuals perceive and interact with the world. For instance, the eggs might have distinct patterns or textures, symbolizing the unique sensory experiences of those on the autism spectrum.

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The bunny character could be portrayed engaging with the eggs in atypical ways, perhaps lining them up precisely or focusing intently on specific details, reflecting common behaviors associated with autism. The overall composition might incorporate puzzle pieces, a symbol often used to represent autism awareness, seamlessly integrated into the Easter scene.

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This concept celebrates the idea that being "different" is not just acceptable but valuable and beautiful. It encourages viewers to appreciate diverse perspectives and challenges traditional norms of both Easter imagery and societal expectations.

Such a design could serve as an educational tool, sparking conversations about autism and neurodiversity while maintaining a festive Easter theme. It embodies the message that autism is an integral part of an individual's identity, to be recognized and celebrated alongside other aspects of life and culture.

Autism Awareness aims to educate the public and create a more inclusive world for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It focuses on celebrating their strengths, understanding their challenges, and fostering acceptance. World Autism Awareness Day takes place on April 2nd, with Autism Speaks [Autism Speaks] hosting events and resources throughout the month.

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Choosing gifts for autistic adults can be thoughtful! Focus on their interests and sensory preferences. Consider fidget toys, weighted items like blankets or lap pads, noise-canceling headphones, or aromatherapy tools. Subscription boxes with sensory items or art supplies for their hobbies can be a hit! Remember, experiences like museum passes or tickets to a special interest event can be fantastic gifts too.

[mistrustmusic]

Mistrust Live at Together Festival 2024

I'm excited to announce that I will be playing at the Together Festival 2024 in Cheadle, Cheshire, on Saturday 6th July! Doors open at 10.00 am and I will be performing at 11.45 am.

I’m excited to announce that I will be playing at the Together Festival 2024 in Cheadle, Cheshire, on Saturday 6th July! Doors open at 10.00 am and I will be performing at 11.45 am. Tickets are available via this link here. Entry is only £2.00 for adults for the whole festival!!! Buy TICKETS Press Release for Mistrust Live at Together Festival 2024 Local Musician Tim Blackburn, who goes…

[t0bey]

friendship wins

[mistyscenter]

Cove every time he talks about being uncomfortable In social settings/not being able to properly express his feelings because they become too much for him:

Me: I know what you are (autistic)

[witchygfsgf]

rarepairs i think would be interesting but there's no love for

remus lupin/frank longbottom: 10/10 would read

hestia jones/edgar bones: hufflepuff4hufflepuff, bi4bi, adhd x autism <33

charity burbage/aurora sinistra: not quite academic rivals but, like tutor!aurora with top grades and tutee!charity both with very repressed feelings leading into a romance when they're teachers. perfection.

benjy fenwick/any man ever: i have a specific image in mind and that image is the gayest gay to ever gay

peter pettigrew/james or remus: the fact that both of these have less fics than jegulus makes me viscerally upset, like not hating but they're the main group?? you didn't play around with the dynamic a lil bit?? anyway pete thought all boys felt that way about each other but, growing up more involved in muggle culture (hc but it feels right to me, half blood tho) where it was less accepting of homosexuality, learned to repress it. remus, being the first person in hogwarts that showed him kindness by allowing him into the group when the others didn't want him, that's so good to have blossom into something else, even one sided, and i think every marauder had a crush on james at one point. love it love it love it

emma vanity/lucinda talkalot: lesbian quidditch rivals need i say more. emma being very committed to keeping her position as captain and lucinda sweeping in and claiming the title after she was injured in a match. actually as im writing this my brain is being flooded with headcanons. they...

barty crouch jr/being banned from being spoken about in fandom: hate this bitch.

[unusualmuffin-art]

!Important note!

Help to provide support for unemployed disabled people !!

https://ko-fi.com/c/decb646358

♾️Help provide financial support for a non profit organisation which helps disabled people to live a more fulfilling life, such as finding jobs and making friends.♾️

💕All of the donations will be sent to this organisation, to help a disabled person apply to their helping program.💕

The commission will be a sketch/lineart piece, you can request more characters as well.

You can also message the reference photos here on insta via dm!

🙏Its my first time doing something like this, but their program helped me a lot with my mental health and communication issues so I'm super grateful for their job.So I wanted to support them a little by doing some charity commissions.🙏

Let me know if you have any question.

Share if you can!!

[shroombies]

Just remembered that one time Ranboo got a dono on stream telling them it was Autism Awareness Month. And he went "[with an audible grin] Hope y'all are enjoying the stream!"

It was THE most direct callout and for WHAT

[deadontheinsidesexyontheoutside]

Autism awareness!❤️🍉

[aw-tysm]

Part of communication difficulties within autism can also mean that an autistic may be more gullible or participates in things like peer pressure.

Not that they necessarily feel peer pressure, but they may not understand that what is being asked of them is wrong or dangerous. Bcus if everyone is having a good time and it sounds good then surely it must be good.

Autistics may be more likely to be signed up to scams or put onto charity lists to donate when not being able to afford to or being convinced to change their service providers or put onto expensive plans or even buying something they don't need or want or could afford bcus they couldn't process what was being asked of them and the person convincing them sounded "very good and nice" and made the autistic feel like it was a good or kind decision.

Autistics may do things that are wrong or dangerous bcus "friends" have convinced them it's good or fun or that they'll be liked better. They may participate in something that could get them suspended from school. They may start an activity that could be considered illegal and get them arrested. They may be convinced to do something inappropriate bcus it would "make the friend feel better" and are convinced that "that's what friends do".

Autistics are quite a vulnerable group in these situations. They may not properly understand what is going on or be able to properly process what someone has said or done or why it's bad or wrong.

It's not just "haha, I don't understand sarcasm and can't make eye contact".

[vile-worm]

Autistic Pride angel! Now up in my shop. All sales go to charity :) You can find them here!

[doerrferr]

hey pro tip, don’t watch nerdy prudes must die before going the nightmare before christmas tour because you WILL STRUGGLE not to call charity kase CHASTITY GRACE

[noisycowboyglitter]

Kindness Wins | Be Kind Merchandise & Gifts

"Be Kind" is a simple yet powerful phrase that encapsulates a fundamental aspect of human interaction and social responsibility. This mantra encourages individuals to approach others with compassion, empathy, and understanding in their daily lives.

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Being kind involves treating others with respect, regardless of differences or disagreements. It can manifest in various ways, from small gestures like offering a smile or holding a door open, to more significant acts such as volunteering or standing up against injustice.

The concept of kindness extends beyond interpersonal relationships to include how we treat ourselves, animals, and the environment. It promotes a positive ripple effect, where acts of kindness inspire others to do the same, potentially creating a more harmonious society.

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In today's fast-paced and often impersonal world, the "Be Kind" message serves as a gentle reminder to pause and consider the impact of our actions on others. It emphasizes the importance of empathy and compassion in building stronger communities and fostering a more inclusive, understanding world.

The Special Education Teacher Squad refers to a dedicated group of educators who specialize in working with students with diverse learning needs and disabilities. These professionals collaborate to provide tailored instruction, support, and resources to help their students thrive academically and socially. The squad often includes teachers with expertise in various areas such as autism, learning disabilities, and behavioral challenges. They work together to develop individualized education plans, implement adaptive teaching strategies, and create inclusive learning environments. This team approach allows for shared knowledge, mutual support, and comprehensive care for students with special needs, ensuring each child receives the best possible education.

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Autism Awareness promotes understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It aims to educate the public about the diverse experiences, strengths, and challenges of autistic individuals. The movement emphasizes early diagnosis, appropriate support, and inclusion in society. It advocates for accommodations in education, employment, and community settings while dispelling myths and reducing stigma. Autism Awareness encourages recognition of neurodiversity and supports research into causes and interventions. The goal is to create a more inclusive world where autistic individuals can thrive, fostering a society that values and embraces neurological differences.

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[attorneys-against-court-violence]

('▽') Happy Autism Awareness Month!

I'm honestly floored I managed to keep this shtick going long enough to celebrate the occasion... even if it is in a fairly odd and obscure way. Nevertheless, good tidings to all, be you autistic or just supportive!

Since this page has a gimmick that I am more than happy to fulfil (and we happen to be in an all too befitting time to do so), allow me the chance to gush about something that has kept the Ace Attorney series and Athena Cykes specifically so thoroughly lodged in my brain.

So, the idea that Athena Cykes is an autistic-coded character is nothing new - it's a popular-enough sentiment in the fandom from what I can gather - but it's one that produced enough interest in me to start an entire page dedicated to collecting thoughts and ideas around this character and any adjacent content. Naturally I have to stop and talk about it for a while, and why it's important enough to me to warrant such a reaction.

Let's start off by setting the groundwork, shall we? Why exactly do I think this? "Evidence is everything" after all!

Buckle your knuckles, there's PLENTY of it to go around!

('◡') Disclaimer: I am about to compare traits of a real-world disability to a fictional character that may or may not have been written as such with any intent or comprehension. In fact...

(°o°) I'm not entirely sure if it WAS intentional or just a consequence of Ace Attorney being a larger-than-life series!

(≻⁓≺) I am liable to make mistakes here!

('◡') So give me a nudge if you think something's off or if I missed an important detail!

Exhibit A - Sensory Processing Issues

Athena Cykes' main "gimmick" in Ace Attorney is a heightened sense of hearing. She is highly sensitive to tone of voice and has better than average hearing overall. It also means loud or grating noises are amplified to the point of being painful to hear(as with opening the door to Tenma Taro's Chamber below).

This trait is often a blessing and a curse for her; it enables her to do things that most of the cast can't, but also proves distressing in cases where noise becomes too much to bear. See Sahdmadhi turning her hearing against her in Turnabout Storyteller.

(⳻_⳺) Dick move by the way!

Abnormal sensory processing - especially hyper-sensitivity - is a symptom of autism likely caused by altered/excessive connections in the brain, effectively over-tuning your ability to process stimuli. A good example of this in reality is being sensitive to the texture of clothes or food, or being more strongly affected by loud noises (similar to Athena here). As with Athena, it can be advantageous, but is more often than not an impairment to our ability to function in everyday life.

Which handily leads us to why this is problem for both the character and anyone with sensory processing issues...

Exhibit B - Overstimulation

Athena was often overwhelmed by her hearing as a child (and even occasionally as an adult, though with a less severe reaction), usually resulting in her breaking down and crying from the abundance of auditory stimulation. She couldn't be in crowds or even attend school for too long without it affecting her. That point especially I'm sure is relatable to most of us with ASD!

She doesn't have the same loud meltdowns in adulthood, and the trauma of UR-1 makes her breakdowns just as understandable without being autistic (though any emotional processing issues wouldn't help!). Regardless, it was a significant enough problem in her childhood to stifle her social development and attendance in education, resulting in a fairly sheltered lifestyle in Metis Cykes' care.

Speaking of Metis, two of her inventions were made with the intent of helping Athena cope with her atypical traits. The first being a set of noise-cancelling headphones that helped dampen the emotional noise her abnormal hearing picked up involuntarily. Granted, it wasn't perfect, but an honest effort was made to help! The other we'll get to in:

Exhibit C - Social Impairment (Withdrawn Behaviour, Emotional Processing etc)

Athena was incredibly quiet and withdrawn as a child, and wasn't good at talking to others when she did speak. She isn't incapable of affection, but it's largely non-verbal. Her mother created and gave her Widget as a way of broadcasting her thoughts & simplifying "emotional noise" to better explain herself to others. As it reflects her thoughts, with most things Widget says being somewhat childish (calling Gaspen Payne an "arrogant jerk" and being generally immature), it can be assumed Athena's thoughts are roughly as mature. Not that her actions are any less so - she often behaves that way as well! We can give her some leverage, being 18-19 in the games she's appeared in, but autistic people tend to have a reputation for acting childish or having childish interests.

This also means we tend to be infantilised by others.

Athena's not much different: see the cop that badgered her over looking like a highschooler and not letting that initial impression go, despite being shown her badge.

Her being 18 and reactionary responses to this obviously weren't helping her image, though it's fair to say we're supposed to be on her side on this.

(The subsequent tossing of said cop I've already discussed, albeit in an older post, and it's not terribly relevant to this one. Onwards and upwards then!)

When she became more extroverted, she shows herself as incredibly transparent in terms of her emotions, often having trouble masking her feelings. Body language is large and loud (this IS Ace Attorney though, everyone's a little obnoxious!) with the closest match in intensity being Bobby Fulbright. Who is perhaps the loudest and most emotional character in the series.

ASD is defined as a developmental and social impairment. People with it are often known for being quiet or otherwise not particularly sociable. It also means we have problems communicating ourselves to others - either due to missing social cues, not picking up on things that aren't explicitly stated, or simply not being able to word ideas in a way that makes sense to others. This also creates problems with emotional processing. It isn't the same for everyone, but in my experience it can be summed up as "your emotions are too big for your body". ie stifled emotional development results in less subtle and more physical displays of one's feelings.

While she has overcome a lot of her shyness and anxiety as an adult, there are plenty of times where she stammers and struggles to get her words out or needs more time to think something over. She often struggles explaining her reasoning for her objections in court even if she's on the right track, that age-old nightmare of having to verbalise your thought-process is a consistent challenge.

Exhibit D - Hyper-fixation/Special Interest

Athena is strongly fixated on analytical psychology, bringing it up at frequency when the opportunity arises. The topic is constantly on her mind and one she's beyond capable of discussing in great detail with little prompting required. It forms the way she views others and the world around her, is her main tool in court, and a framework she often tries to put most things she encounters into.

People with autism get deeply invested in a topic or topics that interest them. More often than not, these topics are something that we can (and will!) gush about for hours on end if allowed to. Unfortunately - due to the next point I'm about to go over - we also tend to get stuck on the subject for long periods of time. Talking about, researching or just thinking about fixations is an enjoyable experience for those on the spectrum. Look at any time Athena Cykes gets to talk psychology and you tell me she isn't enthused every time!

('▽') It's kind of infectious!

But potentially exhausting for anyone who doesn't share the same interests or have enough patience for it. This is why we worry about being annoying about a fixation at times!

Exhibit E - Routine & Repetitive Behaviours

My main evidence here is the Swashbucklers Spectacular - watching it on repeat to the exhaustion of Apollo and staying up late to do so again later that same day. It's an activity she describes as "therapeutic" (which leads to her explaining that animal therapy is a proven type of therapy. When Athena can, Athena will!).

Repetitive or familiar routines/actions are a fairly well-known trait of those with ASD. While it can make them appear monotonous, there's a good chance it's tied to stimulation; since the brain is "over-tuned" to process sensory information, repetitious actions provide controlled & familiar stimuli that isn't likely to bother you. It also means we tend fixate on things that make us happy as mentioned before.

('◡') If anyone relates to listening to just 1 song ad-nauseum, you get what I mean!

(Slight stretch, but her enthusiasm for physical exercise could also fall under this category, as it often involves repetitive motions - think stimming but more rigorous! Running around the courthouse may also be a way of venting excitement/anxiety. Take this with a grain though!)

Exhibit F - Empathy

Had trouble empathising/relating to her mother (though she never made it easy either). Often treated machines like people and thought people could be fixed like machines. A sheltered life on top of a social development impairment handily explains this.

Later, once she became more extroverted, her empathy turns out to have been over-tuned rather than muted. Likely a good reason why she got overstimulated so often, being flooded with people's emotions that, as a child, she did not fully understand.

That said... she does still have trouble telling what's human or not from time-to-time, albeit much less so (despite falling from a box of props, she still mistakes this prop for a human child).

In short, she struggles to relate to other people and humanises non-human objects/machines to an unusual degree. The latter could also be tied to high-empathy; that is, a person with ASD would experience empathy so strongly that it applies to non-human things or animals.

(Admittedly, some of that comes from personal experience; I prefer escorting insects out to killing purely because I don't enjoy the prospect of potentially inflicting great pain trying to kill them quickly and failing. Over-tuned empathetic responses will do that.)

Exhibit G - Masking

An excellent point was raised by @wyrmswears in response to this post. So, in-brief! Athena's perky personality could be a result of masking. It's a term generally used for actions or behaviours taken to "mask" one's personality traits - in this case, to hide behaviours that arise from autism. This is typically done in response to social pressures, as a coping mechanism, or in response to trauma.

Athena feels a great deal of pressure to appear a certain way. We've already covered her conversation with the cop in The Monstrous Turnabout and subsequent events demonstrate that she's very concerned with how she's perceived (heh) by others.

Particularly, she's worried about looking capable and in a way that fits her job as an attorney. This aspect of her character is made apparent and reinforced multiple times early in the game. It also serves to deflect from those anxious thoughts and emotions (though not too well, given her earnestness).

It's worth noting that a focal point of Athena's trauma is not being listened to when she testified to Simon's innocence. As stated earlier, masking isn't just used to hide neurodivergent traits - it can be done for any reason to better fit societal expectations of ones' self. This in mind, I'm happy to concede this as a response to trauma rather than any explicit sign of ASD, even if it fits the interpretation.

Thank you again for calling this to my attention, @wyrmswears!

Exhibit H - Honest to a Fault

We've covered that Athena's emotions are too large for her to hide (on top of Widget's colourful commentary), but characters have noted that she's... very earnest about her thoughts.

On top of the countless examples of Athena speaking her mind, when it isn't exactly the most appropriate time or place, we can safely say she's very likely to just say things as they are.

People with autism tend to have a reputation for being very blunt or literal when speaking with them. Often, this leads to us saying things that are true, but not taken too well by others (though in this case, Dr Crab is a fairly jaded character as it is). Being explicit with your thoughts is something of a mixed bag; bungling a conversation by being too honest isn't a fantastic experience, but it does mean the people who know you know what's on your mind in uncertain terms. With the right people, it can help heaps (and in Athena's case, it can be endearing to the point of going red in the face!).

Being honest to a fault isn't a unique trait by any stretch, though an impairment such as ASD can lead to people not picking up enough social experience to know when to reel it back and approach conversations more tactfully. As with Exhibit G, this is a point that stands with or without this interpretation, though worth bringing up regardless.

Is It Good Representation?

Whew, there's a tricky question if there ever was one. Just keep in mind going forward that what I'm about to say are my own thoughts - you're welcome to disagree or provide evidence of the contrary. It wouldn't be fair if it was just me monologuing at you all day, so let your heart be heard!

Now then, whether I think this is good or not...

Athena is a lot of things in Dual Destinies. She's enthusiastic, but impulsive. She's talented, but fumbles often. She's loud and proud, but is often shut down by her impairment or trauma.

She's put in 7 years of hard work to overcome her shortcomings, but continues to by stifled by them in little (and not so little) ways. More often than not, Apollo and later Phoenix need to be there to support her and spear-head a majority of trials in the game.

I've done my fair share of grumbling about Athena's lack of exposure in what is essentially her story. Case 5-1 helped set the groundwork for her, but didn't set high-hopes for how the character would be utilised and explored going forward. She tends to come across more as the new assistant character rather than a new protagonist or defence-lawyer, and that largely comes down to the fact that she needs so much support to keep afloat. This doesn't change too much in Spirit of Justice, where she's allowed her own solo trial but still had Blackquill step into the assistant role for her (I don't plan to talk much about SoJ here... it doesn't do a lot with her that wasn't covered in DD, save for the confidence boost).

Oddly enough, I'm fine with all that for the most part.

Really, I am!

Let's be fair, she had a lot of developmental issues as a child and had gone through the horror-show that is UR-1 at just 11 years-old. She was emotionally unstable from the start and losing her mother, brother-figure and home in essentially the same day left a gaping wound on an already vulnerable child.

And in 7 years, right at the threshold for adulthood, she has come a LONG way from where she was. Her outgoing personality and empathetic nature have flourished from her continued attempts to break out of her shell. She's picked up on 4 European languages during her time on the continent. Her rigorous study in analytical psychology and law had landed her a career as an attorney at 18! And it all happened because she makes an active effort to overcome her barriers: be it her communication problems or her fear of courtrooms.

But she isn't completely free of it all. She will always be a little confused or will fumble talking to people, and until the end of Dual Destinies, UR-1 continues to have a profound effect on her ability to perform as an attorney.

Let me make this point as clear as I can. Athena Cykes doesn't have constant support from others because she's untalented or stupid. She has support because she needs it.

And that's fine.

That's Cool, but Why Does This Matter?

The reason all this matters to me is that, as an autistic person myself, it's important to recognise that you're going to need help. It's not something you just "grow out of" or "get better from" - it's just part of who you are, both the ups and the downs. Accepting it as a facet of yourself, rather than some demon to be conquered, is important if you want to live comfortably with it.

It's going to sound bloody baffling of me to say, but this character and how they could exist as a representation of an autistic person has helped a little with that. Having a character that is talented and intelligent who is enabled to be so under their own power and with the help of others around them... well, it got to me, as I muddled through what has been a troubling few years in adulthood.

Not one to air my dirty laundry out on the world though, so I'll spare you the details!

For now, I'll leave you with my ultimate summation.

('▽') I just think she's neat. &lt;3

[loki-zen]

We’ve all heard a lot about shitty Autism charities, especially shitty autism research charities, so here’s an actually good one for a change:

Their research isn’t on ‘cures’; the goal is “long, healthy, happy lives.” They’re involved at the moment in trialling something I desperately want to see become a thing: regular health checkups designed specifically for autistic people, aiming to compensate for the barriers inaccessibility and alexithymia causes in accessing health care.

(Autism doesn’t directly cause any physical malady, but autistic people have a 16-year gap in life expectancy compared to autistic people due at least in part to issues accessing healthcare.)

A decent amount of their research concerns autistic adults, which is a big deal - most people with autism are adults, but in the UK projects concerning adults receive just 7% of the research funding that goes into autism.