Is it this?
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| A blue puzzle piece. |
Or maybe it's this?
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| An awareness ribbon made of puzzle pieces in the primary colors. |
Autism is most often represented with the puzzle piece, mainly the blue one that serves as the logo for the organization known as Autism Speaks. There are a few different explanations as to why the puzzle piece was chosen, including that autism is a puzzle or that autistic people are "missing a piece of the puzzle" that makes up their brain.
We are not puzzles. And we're not missing anything, either.
A person is not something to be solved. People are people. The end.
Autistics aren't missing any pieces, either. Yes, my brain is different from yours. That doesn't make it broken or flawed. It's just different. And as a general rule, autistics find neurotypical people just as puzzling as you find us.
Humans are diverse. So are our neurological types. None of us deserve to be thought of as a puzzle, especially not part of one.
We are not puzzles. And we're not missing anything, either.
A person is not something to be solved. People are people. The end.
Autistics aren't missing any pieces, either. Yes, my brain is different from yours. That doesn't make it broken or flawed. It's just different. And as a general rule, autistics find neurotypical people just as puzzling as you find us.
Humans are diverse. So are our neurological types. None of us deserve to be thought of as a puzzle, especially not part of one.
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| The neurodiversity symbol: a rainbow-colored infinity sign. |
I had never thought if it this way and your post makes sense, 100%. I am a parent of 2 adults with autism... and you are absolutely right. I love, love, love this post!
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