Autistic Solidarity

[Pinkie B]

Ok, so I'm almost certainly jumping the gun here, but...

This morning I had an information interview with a dude at a university in the area I want to live in and it sounded SPOT ON PERFECT for me! They're teaching focused and looking for someone long term. I found myself imagining decorating my office again, like I had before, with cartoons and things that spoke to me, or that I thought would speak to my students.

And then I found out that one of my friends here wasn't a white dude! They are a non-binary colored person and my brain went ptwinnnggggggggggg! I myself identify as not exactly female and not exactly straight and immediately I was like MUST SHOW STUDENTS YOU'RE THEIR ADVOCATE! Here in Japan with my temporary contract I haven't been able to get involved much in student life and I want that to change with my next job.

I want to be a safe place for my students, especially those who might be playing life on a harder setting, so I decided that I'm going to put rainbows and safety pins on my door because I know the rainbow supports sexual diversity and the safety pins supports immigrants (I think). And then I started reading Knowing Why (which was kindly shared with my be @Jojo_LB ) and suddenly I was like I WANT THE NEURODIVERSE TO KNOW I'M A SAFE SPACE, TOO!

So, after all that (and oh, do we go on before getting to the point!), I want to know, is there an Aspie/Autistic support symbol in use already? Could we make one here if there isn't? I want to be able to put something on my door that quietly says "I'm with you" to those that know it, and to those that don't know it, they'll be able to quietly look past it like it's another piece of paraphernalia decorating a quirky professor's office door.

I know already that the blue puzzle piece is out. I'm cool with that. Screw blue puzzle pieces. But do we have a symbol that says us that we can use as a point of pride? Has anyone designed on that speaks to them personally? If I design one (or get my boyfriend to help me because he's an artist and I can only draw the conic sections in matlab), can I post it here and get your opinions and maybe your permission to use it on the office door that *may* be mine one day?

I'm sorry, I'm so excited. I love you guysetc and I finally think I might be able to do something with my life all at the same time.

 

[Bolletje]

I love the enthusiasm and the sentiment! However, I don't think there is such a symbol that the neurodiverse population would use and recognize.

 

[Pinkie B]

Oh, good! I get to make one, then!

 

[Progster]

Perhaps an infinity symbol with a spectrum of colour, a bit like the circle used by this site? I think I would 'get it' if I saw that somewhere.

 

[Isadoorian]

I know a lot of people like to use the infinity symbol with different colours on it; the one autism group I help moderate online uses it for their logo and another group I'm in uses one for theirs as well.

Here it is for reference:

It's mainly associated with the Autism Rights Movement but is highly representative of both Autism and Neurodiversity all the same.

 

[Isadoorian]

Perhaps an infinity symbol with a spectrum of colour, a bit like the circle used by this site? I think I would 'get it' if I saw that somewhere.

Funny you saying that just as I hit enter about the exact same thing

 

[shysnail]

I second the rainbow infinity symbol as probably the most recognizable. Sadly not as recognizable as the puzzle piece, but hopefully with greater use that will change.

Can I just say how awesome it is that you want to do this for your students? I would have LOVED to have an autistic member of staff I could go to when I was at university.

 

[Pinkie B]

OMG! Can I have a rainbow moebius strip count? That's like infinity, except 3D and way cooler

 

[Pats]

But the question is - will they know what it is? I wouldn't. I think I'd try to go with something that just makes the statement - safe place for all.

 

[Pinkie B]

But the question is - will they know what it is? I wouldn't. I think I'd try to go with something that just makes the statement - safe place for all.

Yeah. If it's not recognizable it's not useful. But I don't like when people put signs and posters with politically charged/sounding words on them because I feel assaulted by them, so I'd like something subtle enough to ignore for those that aren't looking to be a part of it.

 

[Kyou Nukui]

When I was student age (never knew how to go to university) I had no idea yet that I was autistic, so I wouldn't have seen an infinite rainbow as anything to do with me; but I think I would have liked a safe place.

Are there things that young autists there commonly enjoy, that you could connect with them through?

 

[Pinkie B]

Well, I don't have the job yet. I'm just dreaming. I have one student currently who has tourettes. I told him that if he needed any special accomodations to let me know, but otherwise I just ignore his twitches and treat him like everybody else. I think I'm doing a good job, but I would like students to know that they don't have to suffer alone with a hidden disability. I just think that it's a tiny thing that I can do to make the world better.

 

[tducey]

Sounds like you have great plans. Hope it works out for you.