Hoods Up For Autism Acceptance

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and as part of this, Autism New Zealand is running a campaign to raise understanding, awareness, and acceptance of the neurological condition. Hoods Up Wednesday (26th April) is an opportunity to wear a hoody (with the hood up or down) to show that you stand with the autistic community of Aotearoa New Zealand - and hopefully help to raise a bit of money to support the charity that walks every step together with them.

Many autistic people experience sensory input such as light and sound more intensely than neurotypical people and therefore find that wearing a hoody with the hood up can be helpful to block some of this out. Hoodies are also generally made from soft fabrics which is helpful for people with sensitivities to touch and texture.

Hoodies can often get a bad reputation for being used by people who want to hide their faces but, on this day, Autism New Zealand would like to change the narrative around them and make people realise that they can in fact just be a safe space to help autistic people regulate.

Autism New Zealand CEO Dane Dougan acknowledges that “not every autistic person will feel this way about hoodies, after all – if you know one autistic person, you know one autistic person. Everyone has their own preferences and sensitivities, so if wearing a hoody doesn’t feel right for you then we fully encourage you to recognise the day in a way that does.”

“Schools and organisations often get behind the day by having a ‘mufti’ or casual attire day, which allows people to wear their hoodies and bring a donation for Autism New Zealand. Others create events like bake sales, or silent auctions. It is amazing to see so many groups getting involved to support the autistic community!”

Autism New Zealand is a charity that has been walking every step with the autistic community for over 50 years. They provide outreach support, information and education to individuals, families/whānau, professionals, as well as advocating for autistic people by providing submissions on relevant legislation and providing comment on government policy relating to autism and raising awareness of autism to promote inclusive behaviours in society.

© Scoop Media