A Problem That Needs To Be Solved
This symbol also suggests that, like a puzzle, autism can be viewed as a problem that needs to be solved. This perpetuates the idea that there is something wrong with Autistic identity. Many Autistics like to make distinctions between speaking negatively about autism itself and speaking negatively about specific symptoms . Its frustrating and discouraging to live your life as if the world thinks there is something wrong with you .
The Autism Puzzle Piece Debate: Is It Time For A New Logo
The Autism Puzzle Piece logo, which is associated with autism and autistic people, is a controversial symbol that has divided the autism community for far too long. A topic which everyone has an opinion on, the Puzzle Piece logo debate is one which is far from over and, like the never-ending battle of whether pineapple belongs on pizza, it only grows more heated as time goes by.
With some stating that the Autism Puzzle Piece has long outgrown its welcome and others arguing that the symbol is here to stay, the Puzzle Piece logo is a hotly debated topic in autism circles. In fact, there have been countless forum discussions, blog posts and even one recent journal article dedicated to the perceptions of the Puzzle Piece logo. Yet we are still far from finding an answer to whether or not the Puzzle Piece should go.
That said, today I aim to add to the conversation as, like a puzzle itself, I hope that, by sharing my findings and feelings on the history of the Autism Puzzle Piece, I can help others build a complete picture/better understand their own feelings, regarding this ancient argument of puzzle pieces and autism.
Puzzle Piece Love Tattoo
A puzzle piece tattoo can also be used to express your love for someone with or without autism. Whether this is a best friend or a partner, the idea of this tattoo is about you two fitting together like two puzzle pieces. Like the puzzle, one person will not be complete without the other which makes it a nice way to represent a bond between two people.
A combination of puzzle pieces, lock, and key tattoos placed on the wrist
Infinity sign, love, and puzzle piece tattoos combined
An outline tattoo of a puzzle piece behind the ear
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Wrist Puzzle Piece Tat
A puzzle piece wrist tattoo is also a nice idea not just because the wrist is a popular spot for tattoos. Rather, it is also nice to have because it is exposed. This means you can get to see it all day which will remind you of someone that the tattoo represents.
An outline of a puzzle piece placed on the left wrist
This one, on the other hand, is placed o the right wrist and has a thicker outline
This puzzle piece wrist tattoo has a small heart on its upper right corner
This combination of a puzzle piece and heart tattoos has realistic details that make it look like its floating
A colorful puzzle piece tattoo
A blue ink puzzle piece tattoo paired with a word tattoo that reads hope
Matching puzzle piece tattoos with watercolor details
A simple outline tattoo of a puzzle piece at the center of the wrist area
Jigsaw puzzle pieces in red, blue, and yellow ink etched on the left wrist
Matching outline tattoos on the side of the wrist
A tattoo of Stitch holding a balloon made of colorful puzzle pieces placed on the upper part of the arm
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Signs And Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD symptoms are typically first recognized between 12 and 24 months of age, although these symptoms may be seen earlier than 12 months if developmental delays are severe, or later than 24 months if symptoms are subtler. Around this time, children maybegin to exhibit developmental delays in, or losses of, social or language skills. For example, some children may show a lack of reciprocal smiling and looking at faces, a consistent lack of eye contact, or persistent hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensoryinput . As play develops, parents may notice that their child plays differently with toys, such as lining up objects or carrying them around but never playing with them in the traditional sense. Children may also have restricted interests or a lack of interest in playing with others. Adaptation to change may be an area of significant difficulty children with ASD may become extremely upset if their routine is changed.
Researchers in the field have developed a range of tools to screen for early symptoms of ASD. Currently, the most evidence-based and accepted screening tool for ASD is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition. This tool is play-basedand has been developed to accurately assess and diagnose ASD across age, developmental level and language skills.
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What Do I Think
In the beginning, I mentioned how the underlying issue is that allistic people are talking over autistic people. The puzzle piece is a symbol that was created by allistic people who wanted to emphasize the misery and mystery of autism. Im not miserable and Im not mysterious. Autistic people understand autism we live and breathe autism 24/7. If were miserable, its because we live in a world that tries to tell us that we should be fixed, while talking over us in discussions about us.
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The Autism Symbol And Its Change Over The Years
The puzzle piece is a logo that is generally used as a universal symbol of autism spectrum disorder. However, in addition to the puzzle piece sign, which is considered the unofficial logo of autism, it is not known if it has drawn your attention, there are also different symbols used for the same purpose. The infinity sign can be an example of these different symbols. So, what are these autism symbols designed to tell us outside the autism community?
When you want to reach an image describing autism and autism awareness on the internet, it is very likely that you will see a puzzle piece symbol immediately. So what is this symbol used for? What is the history of this symbol or other autism symbols that are thought to draw attention to autism and autism awareness? Why are these symbols preferred by autism associations, parents of children with autism, and individuals who want to increase autism awareness?
First of all, knowing what these symbols mean gives us, we can start by having a little idea about this. If you want to know exactly what autism is, understand, or change your perspective on autism, you should be aware that the autism symbols you choose also have content. It is also always useful to know what the symbols mean and why the specific symbol is accepted.
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National Autism Awareness Month
The Autism Society held the first National Autism Awareness Month in April of 1970 and it has been a little more than a decade since the United Nations General Assembly also created a World Autism Awareness Day. This years World Autism Awareness Day is Tuesday, April 2, 2019, with this years theme being Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination. On this day and throughout the month of April there will be fundraisers, walks and hands-on activities to promote awareness and a better understanding of life on the autism spectrum. Check with your local autism organization for a list of activities and events near you.
Today about 1 in 68 children have been diagnosed with autism, highlighting the need to do everything we can to offer better support for people living with autism and their families.
At Chaps Pit Beef, we strongly believe in being a strong community member so we are holding a special promotion to celebrate National Autism Awareness Month. Solve the #ChapsSandwichPuzzle& Win a Chaps # GiftCard! for more details and to enter.
What Does All Of This Mean For Autistic People
As discussed above, the controversy and negative implications of the puzzle piece symbol stem from two main sources: the meanings and connotations of the shape and logos themselves, and the actions of organisations under this branding.
Starting with the puzzle piece shape itself, many studies have found that the symbol evokes negative connotations. One study states that participants explicitly associated the symbol with incompleteness, imperfection, and oddity, and organisations such as Learn From Autistics say that the puzzle piece implies confusion and mystery, something that is missing, and that autism is a problem that needs to be solved.
In addition to this, the National Autistic Societys use of a crying child on their puzzle piece logo and Autism Speaks use of the colour blue are seen to both spread the negative stereotypes that autism brings suffering and sadness, and that only people assigned male at birth can have autism.
All of this, alongside the actions of organisations which use puzzle piece branding, such as Autism Speaks, has led to the puzzle piece becoming a symbol of injustice and hate for the autistic community. What was once intended to be a symbol of autism awareness now perpetuates negative perceptions, stereotypes and behaviour towards people with ASC, leaving them more vulnerable to bullying, othering, isolation, abuse, and dehumanisation.
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Terminology And Distinction From Schizophrenia
As late as the mid-1970s there was little evidence of a genetic role in autism while in 2007 it was believed to be one of the most heritable psychiatric conditions. Although the rise of parent organizations and the destigmatization of childhood ASD have affected how ASD is viewed, parents continue to feel social stigma in situations where their child’s autistic behavior is perceived negatively, and many primary care physicians and medical specialists express some beliefs consistent with outdated autism research.
It took until 1980 for the DSM-III to differentiate autism from childhood schizophrenia. In 1987, the DSM-III-R provided a checklist for diagnosing autism. In May 2013, the DSM-5 was released, updating the classification for pervasive developmental disorders. The grouping of disorders, including PDD-NOS, autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and CDD, has been removed and replaced with the general term of Autism Spectrum Disorders. The two categories that exist are impaired social communication and/or interaction, and restricted and/or repetitive behaviors.
The Internet has helped autistic individuals bypass nonverbal cues and emotional sharing that they find difficult to deal with, and has given them a way to form online communities and work remotely.Societal and cultural aspects of autism have developed: some in the community seek a cure, while others believe that autism is simply another way of being.
Will It Stay Or Go
People that dislike the use of the puzzle piece do not like being perceived as less-than, mysterious, or somehow incomplete as if they should strive to become neurotypical. In the age of neurodiversity, people with autism are not the marginalized community they once were and more people have accepted that autism is not a puzzle to be solved. In this regard, reducing people with autism to nothing more than a complex task that requires solving can be pretty controversial.However, advocates of the puzzle piece have moved beyond the puzzle-to-be-solved imagery, instead focusing on the aspects of individuality that a puzzle piece represents and the fact that every piece is important to the grand picture, centering people with autism as important individuals to an entire community.
Its unclear whether or not the puzzle piece will last as the community symbol for autism. Perhaps the biggest problem with re-branding is that there is little unity as to what should represent the community and getting society to accept a new symbol on a broad level will only serve to marginalize people with autism for a longer period of time. There are a number of suggestions that could work, including a Supernova or the rainbow infinity symbol, but the community has to come together and decide what to do. If the puzzle piece remains, and it seems likely it will, the symbolism must change from a mystery to be solved to a complex and unique piece of the entire puzzle.
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The Story Of Puzzle Piece
The puzzle piece was first used as a symbol of autism in 1963. This symbol was designed by Gerald Gasson, a board member of the Autistic Children Association . Geralds being both a board member and a parent of individuals with autism made it easier for the symbol to be accepted.
The representation of the puzzle piece to the situations of individuals with autism was effective in designing, creating, and selecting the symbol. The situations of individuals with autism are also full of unknowns like puzzle pieces. The problems experienced by individuals with autism were also assumed as astonishing, just like the astonishment given to us when each puzzle piece was placed in its place.
This symbol has also been found suitable for use by autism organizations. It was used for the first time, it had never been used for any other purpose before, and most importantly, it was unlike a symbol used for commercial purposes.
The puzzle piece was not what it looks like when it was first designed. When it was first used, there was a profile of a crying child in the puzzle piece. This profile has been used to represent the suffering of individuals with autism over their differences. This symbol was used because of the desire to fit the individuals with autism who cannot fully adapt to their environment due to the differences in their brains into society as if it were a puzzle piece.
Autism No Puzzle Nothing Wrong With Us
Paula Jessop
Many autistic people strongly dislike the puzzle piece as a symbol for autism, writes Paula Jessop, Altogether Autisms former autistic advisor.
THE PUZZLE piece as a symbol for autism was originally used by the National Autism Society in UK in 1963. Time went by and it was used to represent autism by an organisation in America, Autism Speaks.
Autism Speaks then went on to use the puzzle piece in very big Autism Awareness campaigns in America, leading to the puzzle piece being adopted as the symbol for autism.
But the problem for many autistic people, is that Autism Speaks campaigns were particularly negative and problematic to autistic people.
Autism awareness campaigns historically have been modelled on campaigns to raise awareness of diseases, illnesses like cancer. Early autism awareness promotion was based on organisations and parents belief that autism is a disease. A tragic and terrible one.
Autism Speaks was the biggest organisation to approach autism awareness from this perspective that autism is a disease requiring fixing, curing. Therefore, their campaigns were the most hurtful, upsetting and offensive to autistic people.
She spoke of these urges in the film, while her daughter was in the room and could hear what she was saying. Autistic people continue to be horrified there was ever a time it was seemingly socially acceptable for people to discuss killing us while we listened.
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The Puzzle Piece Ribbon
The version of the Autism puzzle piece you see most often today is the Puzzle Piece Ribbon created by the Autism Society in 1999. With its different colors and combinations, for some, it better represents the diversity of people living on the autistic spectrum. Ribbons are also popular choices for other well-known causes, like the pink ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Autistic Culture And Community
With the recent increases in autism recognition and new approaches to educating and socializing autistics, an autistic culture has begun to develop. Autistic culture is based on a belief that autism is a unique way of being and not a disorder to be cured. The Aspie world, as it is sometimes called, contains people with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism , and can be linked to three historical trends: the emergence of AS and HFA as labels, the emergence of the disability rights movement, and the rise of the Internet. Autistic communities exist both online and offline many people use these for support and communication with others like themselves, as the social limitations of autism sometimes make it difficult to make friends, to establish support within general society, and to construct an identity within society.
Because many autistics find it easier to communicate online than in person, a large number of online resources are available. Some autistic individuals learn sign language, participate in online chat rooms, discussion boards, and websites, or use communication devices at autism-community social events such as Autreat. The Internet helps bypass non-verbal cues and emotional sharing that autistics tend to have difficulty with. It gives autistic individuals a way to communicate and form online communities.
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How Do I Submit An Awareness Ribbon Color Or Design
You are welcome to submit an awareness ribbon color and/or design to add to our list provided it meets the following criteria:
- When submitting an awareness ribbon, or design, please provide an example of where the ribbon is currently used, e.g. web-page address, organization etc.
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To submit an awareness ribbon, or if you know a ribbon/cause we have listed is not correct, or if you know of an awareness ribbon color or cause we have missed, please contact us.