Autism is a variation in neurocognitive function that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and/or behave. It affects an estimated 1 in 44 children in the U.S., according to .
Unfortunately, despite research and experience to the contrary, there are a number of archaic misconceptions about autistic people that prevail in modern society. These myths serve as an ongoing barrier, contributing to the perpetual isolation and exclusion of autistic people, and limiting opportunities for employment and independence.
To commemorate April as National Autism Acceptance Month (previously known as Autism Awareness Month), here are some of the most common myths about autism 鈥� and the truth behind them:
Myth 1: All autistic people are the same
Truth: 鈥淚f you鈥檝e met one person with autism, you鈥檝e met just one person with autism,鈥� said Larysa Kautz, president and CEO of Melwood, a leading national employer, advocate and preferred provider for people with disabilities.
Melwood has been championing a more inclusive workforce 鈥� and world 鈥� for people with disabilities for nearly 60 years in the D.C. area and beyond through employment, job training, job placement, coaching and strategic employer partnerships.
Matthew Kreydatus is the director of Career and Transition Services at St. Joseph鈥檚 Villa in Richmond, Virginia.聽 It鈥檚 an organization dedicated to helping children and youth from all backgrounds who face developmental disabilities, diverse learning styles, mental health issues, homelessness and other challenges.
Kreydatus reiterated Kautz鈥檚 statement, adding that the supports or accommodations autistic people need are not universal, but will vary based on the individual. However, he notes that there is a common thread amongst the students at St. Joseph鈥檚 Villa 鈥� their drive to contribute.
鈥淭hey all want to do something, and they all could do something,鈥� he said, but they often get boxed in or relegated to this inferior status where people assume they can鈥檛 contribute in a meaningful way.
鈥淎utomatically assuming that someone can鈥檛 do something and treating them accordingly 鈥� that鈥檚 discrimination,鈥� said Kautz. 鈥淚t鈥檚 subtle, but it鈥檚 incredibly harmful both to the individual and our collective society.鈥� In a speech to the NAACP to launch the No Child Left Behind Act in 2000, former President George W. Bush referred to this type of discrimination as the 鈥渟oft bigotry of low expectations.鈥�
Autistic people are just like anybody with their own strengths and challenges. When people continue to hold on to the myth that autistic people are all the same, it can unfairly and unnecessarily limit their opportunities for employment.
鈥淪ometimes we box autistic people in by thinking about what they can鈥檛 do. Other times, we see a strength like analytical thinking and assume it matches the persons interests and steer them that way. The real challenge is making sure we remove barriers so people can seek out a career that excites them,鈥� said Rebecca Cheraquit, chief program officer at Melwood.
Myth 2: All autistic people have savant abilities
Truth: 鈥淎utistic people have a variety of interests and have different levels of skills and abilities across a wide range of spheres,鈥� Kautz said. 鈥淪omeone may be uniquely gifted in math or have stand-out musical talent, but this idea that all autistic people have these superhuman, niche abilities is misleading.鈥�
鈥淭here may be some who have some enhanced abilities, but the people we work with 鈥� they鈥檙e really just normal people,鈥� Kreydatus said.
Having a false view or expectation of a person鈥檚 abilities simply because they have autism reduces that person to a cultural caricature, instead of investing the time and effort to get to know them.
鈥淪tart by building a relationship,鈥� Kreydatus said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to make assumptions. It takes intentionality to get to know someone and the process is longer, but it鈥檚 also rewarding because it鈥檚 authentic.鈥�
With students, Kreydatus said the teachers often start off by giving them a small task and 鈥渢hrough observation and relationship-building, you start to see their abilities and interests.鈥�
By viewing each person鈥檚 skills individually, teachers, employers and other influencers can engage in more meaningful conversations about a person鈥檚 job and career trajectory 鈥� and that鈥檚 going to benefit both the individual and their future employer and team.
Myth 3: Autistic people don鈥檛 do teams well
Truth: Based on Melwood鈥檚 experience as an employer of people with disabilities and many autistic people, Kautz resoundingly refutes that autistic people can鈥檛 work on teams. 鈥淲e have teams on the ground at 60+ locations across the metro D.C. area 鈥� many at high-level government sites,鈥� Kautz said. 鈥淲e consistently receive positive feedback from those sites, commenting on the commitment, consistency and quality of service.鈥�
It comes back to understanding the environment, accommodations and communication that contribute to a person鈥檚 success. 鈥淎s a society, our problem is that if someone doesn鈥檛 engage the same way we do in group settings, we have a low tolerance and understanding,鈥� Kautz said.
Reflecting on Melwood鈥檚 abilIT and Building Paths programs which prepare people for careers in technology and skilled trades, respectively, Cheraquit noted that one of the most rewarding aspects of the program is the way the students support one another and work together to achieve their goals.
What they need, Kautz said, is someone who accepts them as they are, and who will ask questions about how they prefer to communicate and collaborate 鈥� at the manager and peer level.
At St. Joseph鈥檚 Villa, Kreydatus said that the students he sees want to feel like they belong and enjoy participating in groups.
鈥淲hat I get to see every day with our students is that communal effect going on 鈥� kids travel together as a group and enjoy being around each other. They like being around the staff that they’re with鈥verybody inherently wants to belong. I think it鈥檚 the same thing with the students with autism,鈥� he said.
Myth 4: Autistic people can sometimes be violent or dangerous
Truth: This misconception of violence or danger, Kautz said, may stem from people not knowing why autistic people have certain tics or ways of 鈥渟timming鈥� 鈥� repetitive movements or noises 鈥� to cope in a situation that might be confusing or anxiety-producing.
鈥淭here’s this knee-jerk reaction people have when they witness someone with autism exhibiting a tic or stimming that there’s something dangerous or violent or aggressive鈥� whether it’s making noises or repetitive movements, that’s usually arising from a sort of sensory overload,鈥� Kautz said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a way of coping that helps the individual regulate.鈥�
Asking questions and being aware of why an autistic person is reacting a certain way is often the best way to understand what鈥檚 happening 鈥� and if there鈥檚 anything you can do to make the situation more comfortable.
鈥淲e always say dig below the iceberg,鈥� Kreydatus said. 鈥淥ften the behavior you see is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going on below. We must always seek to understand, rather than rush to judgment.鈥�
While a person with autism may occasionally exhibit behaviors that appear as 鈥渁cting out,鈥� Kreydatus said this typically happens when a person doesn鈥檛 know a better way to express what they are feeling yet, so it鈥檚 important to listen to what they are telling you through their behaviors.
鈥淚t’s highly unusual for individuals who have autism to act violently out of malice or pose any kind of danger,鈥� Kautz said.
How employers can overcome these myths
Employers across the U.S. are facing staff shortages and holding on to these outdated 鈥� and unfounded 鈥� views of autistic people means that organizations are 鈥渕issing out on valuable candidates 鈥� an entire talent pool of people who are skilled, eager to learn and eager to contribute,鈥� Cheraquit said.
Melwood partners with employers on a variety of disability inclusion efforts to broaden awareness, adapt hiring strategies and create more integrated environments that empower people with and without disabilities to succeed. For example, Melwood offers a series of training sessions for managers in neurodiversity awareness called Autism 101. This includes HR-focused training to inform the interview and hiring process so candidates with autism aren鈥檛 baselessly overlooked because of overly-standardized strategies.
Melwood has also provided training to the federal government and the private sector on how to evaluate questions and recognizing comfortable workplace environmental factors to minimize sensory overload.
Another session Melwood offers is on environmental factors that could affect sensory triggers.
鈥淵ou may have employees or prospective employees with sensitivity to specific lighting,鈥� Cheraquit said. 鈥淗ow do you make sure that, as an employer, you find the middle ground to accommodate all your employees and create a work environment where they can be successful and productive?鈥�
In addition to partnering with employers, Melwood works with autistic people to advocate for themselves.
鈥淲e place a real emphasis on self-advocacy and coaching people on how to have the confidence and tact to safely say, 鈥楾his is what I need,鈥� Cheraquit said. 鈥淚t can be incredibly challenging because some people feel they may lose their job or lose an opportunity.鈥�
For Kreydatus, whose job includes preparing students for the next phase of entering the workforce, a major issue is the undervaluation or underestimation of what autistic people can do. 鈥淭hey’re looking for chances鈥he chance to do something, to prove themselves, to be independent,鈥� he said.
Kautz emphasizes that retention and investment in employees with autism is equally as important. If someone lands a job聽 but feels isolated from their teammates or ill-equipped to succeed with the necessary accommodations and training, they are likely to leave.
鈥淭he majority of time, once you train someone who has the affinity to focus, to master a skill, they will do it,鈥� Cheraquit said.
鈥淚f they make mistakes, please don’t give up on them,鈥� Kreydatus said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a growing experience for everyone involved. Be self-reflective. Are you doing what you can to make your workplace more inclusive, or are you continuing status quo?鈥�
The message isn鈥檛 to be autism-blind, Kautz said. The point is to view one another with intentionality and purpose, affirming and valuing the experience of autistic people as individuals, instead of a collective. The point is to deconstruct the stigmas and microaggressions that do nothing to serve our society, but act as barriers to inclusion, innovation and independence.
By engaging with partners like Melwood, employers can start to train their leadership and teams on how to create more inclusive working environments, get connected to more diverse candidate pipelines, and network with other employers who are leading the way in disability inclusion. To learn more, contact Melwood at communications@melwood.org.
