The Gray Colour Campaign for Children with Autism By Robab Haghpanh

A family with an autistic child received a hate-filled anonymous letter, targeting their son. This is as revolting as it is heartbreaking, not only for families raising children with autism but for families in general.

The number of children being diagnosed with autism is growing rapidly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while a decade ago it was 1 in 256 children. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that autism is an integral part of our society.

In some societies, such as in the Scandinavian countries, autism has already been de-stigmatized, in large part due to a strong media effort.   In our radio program Kaleidoscope of Lives, we interviewed Thorkil Sonne from Denmark, who is the founder of the Information Technology Company, Specialisterne. Mr. Sonne is also a parent of an autistic child, and his company only hires people with autism. In our interview, he emphasized that great achievements are made by people with autism who are given the opportunity.

Now from Halifax, we have started a new campaign (the Gray Colour campaign) to support children with autism nationally.  

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Gray-Colour-Campaign-for-Children-with-Autism/156540944541115

The September 1^st Wear Gray for Autism campaign is asking for acceptance of children with autism: the way that they are, in all aspects of society—especially in schools and communities.

The colour gray metaphorically represents the blending of contrasts. Similarly, autism is a part of a spectrum without clear cut boundaries or definitions.  Why September 1^st?  September is the beginning of the school year, and school is a big part of every child’s life, it prepares them for the future. Unfortunately, bullying is a big issue in the school setting for children with autism, and we must take it seriously.

In 2007, Canada signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and ratified it in 2010. This Convention requires that both public and private sectors provide full inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society.

As Canadians, we need to set the precedence in establishing an inclusive society that welcomes the presence of children with autism and their families.

We are hoping that the public will support us in this endeavour.

Robab Haghpanh has been an advocate for children with autism for over a decade in Nova Scotia; she is also the Nova Scotia representative for the Disabled Women’s Network of Canada (DAWN-RAFH).