A Journey to be Accepted

In this post, I want to talk about a story I read in the New York Times written by Amy Harmon who writes about Justin Canha, a young man with autism from Montclair New Jersey and his journey to find a place in the world.  Harmon writes that Justin has a special gift for drawing and a love of cartoons.  Justin wants to become a famous cartoonist and live independently from his parents in his own apartment.

This article goes on to talk how the transition of autistic teenagers from high school and adulthood is changing rapidly.  Harmon writes: “…Justin is among the first generation of autistic youths who have benefited from more effective therapies and hard won educational opportunities.”  I have never thought about it that way myself, but I suppose that it is the result of long years of autism research and movements toward better understanding the spectrum.

Harmon goes on to speak of “neurodiversity,” a term which I have never heard of before.   “Some advocates of ‘neurodiversity,’” Harmon writes, “call this the next civil rights frontier: society, they say, stands to benefit from accepting people whose brains work differently.”   I have believed this for a long time.  People, such as Justin, can really benefit society if the proper considerations are made for their individual needs.   Justin could go on to revolutionize the way cartoons are created if he is given proper accommodations and is recognized for what he can do, rather than for what he can’t.

To read Amy Harmon’s article from the New York Times, visit this website: http://www.nytimes.com/20/09/18/us/autistic-and-seeking-a-place-in-an-adult-world.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=autism&st=cse