What We Can Learn From Beverly Goldberg About Autism Acceptance

Would You Reject A Friend?

Hey guys, what’s up?

Truth Bomb: When I was in middle school I wore a brown, paper bag on my head while I walked to school.

Ok, I didn’t do this every day, but for a while, I considered this the solution to keep my hair from getting ruined during my 6 block trek to school each morning.

Let me set up the background picture for you. My hair is super thick, and because the time was the 80’s and I lived in Texas, my very thick hair was permed. So I would get out my curling iron and curl that perm even more. Then I would step out into the hot, windy, Texas humidity. Yikes, I know.

Big hair was a status symbol in the ’80s, like an Izod T-shirt. Think Wendy Goldberg.

You’re probably asking how I thought wearing a bag on my head, less mortifying than having a horrible hairdo at school.

Well, a girls gotta do……

Autism Acceptance, Leg Warmers And Fitting In

Cliques and judgment were kind of standard treatment in middle school, and then as we grew up, hopefully, we got a little nicer.

The desire to belong is a powerful feeling and can lead us to do some really dumb stuff. Legwarmers, really 80’s?

I wonder if this is how kids with autism feel. Just chronically striving to belong. Maybe the communication problem or flapping or another behavior keeps them from finding the comfort of fitting in.

I believe kids with autism belong anywhere they want to be.

See, I feel so strongly that no kid feel “less than.” I want every child with autism to feel that this world is available to them. Doors they want to walk through are open, friendships are waiting for them and whatever they dream of is a possibility.

For information on autism acceptance click here.