These Flickr photographers share a glimpse into the world of autism, in their own words …

“A letter I received from a parent of an autistic child (H) that is in my 6-year-old daughter’s (A) class …

‘I want you to know how important A is to H … I had the opportunity to observe A’s interaction with H at M’s birthday party on Saturday. A is so protective of H and just helps her along the way. It is so unbelievably natural to her … she even gets her attention by either holding her hands or doing something to get eye contact, so an indication that H is listening … needless to say, I want to adopt A or clone her so H has an ‘A’ with her while she grows up.’

I asked her to think of her friend H, and what she meant to her, and this was her expression … melts me.”
–thePhotoZoo
https://www.flickr.com/photos/42049292@N08/6646065727
“Julia Bascom: ‘Being autistic, to me, means a lot of different things, but one of the best things is that I can be so happy, so enraptured about things no one else understands and so wrapped up in my own joy that, not only does it not matter that no one else shares it, but it can become contagious.’ ”
–Bec

“I am 12 years old – my mum runs this site for me. I have been taking photos for a long time. I have Aspergers Syndrome and I think kids with Aspergers are smart.”
–Knight Lloyd

“To be autistic is a strong decision made in the nonphysical that is carried out in the physical. It is a decision that causes the people around the person with autism (PWA) to learn unconditional love if they want to be happy. The PWA can’t be badgered into behaving ‘normally,’ so the people around him have to line up with the PWA’s energy. Don’t attempt to fix him because he isn’t broken. He is a brilliant teacher/creator. We would never agree that this is a disability — it is a difference and a difference with a reason.”
–Trisha

“My son Sebastian is 11 and autistic. Getting the dogs was really good for him. He loves them both dearly. He keeps asking me how long they will live. I just keep telling him ‘A long time, Sebastian.’ ”
–Ginger Monteleone

“These images are my artistic attempts to grasp the nature of my child, who is profoundly blind and severely autistic. He experiences the world in a very different way. Enigmatic, sometimes with frustration but most often with an infectious joy and boundless affection.”
–John “Jay” Glenn

“My brother Isaac is autistic. As a young child one of his favorite things to do was lean against the washing machine and rock with the rinse cycle. Patterns have always been almost addictive for him … One time I came across an IQ test. It gave you a series of shapes with a blank in the middle. You were supposed to choose from four options what shape should go in the blank. Everybody in the family got it right except Isaac. But when I asked him why he chose a different shape, he went on to show me an entirely different pattern that everybody else in the family had missed. He wasn’t wrong, he simply saw a different pattern and chose the correct shape for his pattern. Isaac is 12 now. It wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up in some sort of trouble-shooting profession. Some type of job where you must look over a situation and make it work again. I think he’d do very well at that.”
–Samuel Bavido

“You were throwing handfuls of small stones into the air in a playground and watching them intently as they fell. Then you spread your arms wide and cried out with joy at something I cannot understand or see. I saw falling rocks. What did you see?”
–David Thiel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jennylin-paroutis/9762365275
“This picture tells me a story because I was there. Coaxing her autistic son with a balloon, she gets him to run to her and get a cuddle. When I see her hold her son, I see how fully, deeply she holds him. It seriously moves my heart to see how a mom fights for her kids, loves her kids and how she cherishes the moments when he lets her into his world.”
–jen linfield photography
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikibug/5417007544
“my youngest daughter is autistic and not often will she make eye contact with me, so when she does it is an amazing feeling x x x”
–Nikibug

“One of my aspie obsessions is COOKING & taking pics of my creations … well, in fact, shooting pics of everything … even chestnuts!
I’m fascinated by windows & glass reflections, you can’t imagine all the fantastic worlds that are hidden inside a plain glass of water!”
–Luna TMG
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hsstanley/8611748942
“My son was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome just before he turned 5 years old. We are extremely proud of how far he has come! He is very smart, affectionate, happy, curious … I could go on and on! … I believe that it is people like him who will change the world. ♥”
–Holly Stanley

 

“In an ideal world the scientist should find a method to prevent the most severe forms of autism but allow the milder forms to survive. After all, the really social people did not invent the first stone spear. It was probably invented by an Aspie who chipped away at rocks while the other people socialized around the campfire. Without autism traits we might still be living in caves.” Temple Grandin

Please click here to learn more about Autistic Pride Day and Autism Acceptance Month.