Recovery Association of America

The autism rights movement, also known as the autistic acceptance movement, is a social movement allied with the disability rights movement. It emphasizes the neurodiversity paradigm, viewing autism as a set of naturally occurring variations in human cognition rather than as a disease to be cured or a disorder to be treated,[2] diverging from the medical model of disability.

Central to the autism rights movement's beliefs is the right to self-determine if one is part of the autism community, that autistic people should be seen as the primary voice for people with autism, and that autistic people have the final say in what language should be used when talking about autism. A common motto used by the autism rights movement, borrowed from the disability rights movement, is the phrase "nothing about us without us."

Autism rights movement advocates strive for widespread acceptance of people with autism, as well as the traits and behaviors associated with the condition, and for autistic people to socialize on their terms.[3] The movement looks to foster autism-oriented therapies and services to emphasize coping skills for challenging situations rather than to encourage suppressing and masking behaviors associated with autism,[4] as camouflaging and attempting to suppress autistic traits and behaviors is associated with poorer mental health.[5][6][7][8]

The movement also advocates for people with autism to be recognized as a minority group rather than as having a disorder. Within the autism rights movement, autism is often compared to different variations in human biology not categorized as disorders, such as homosexuality.[4][9]