What Is the "Autism Is" Campaign on the Autism Society Website?
Updated
The "Autism Is" campaign is the Autism Society's storytelling initiative built on one idea: no two Autistic people have the same lived experience. The site states it plainly — "The Autism Is campaign acknowledges that no two Autistic individuals have the same lived experience" — and then invites visitors to "Share Your Story." If you want to understand how the organization frames Autism, or you're looking for a place to contribute your own perspective, this campaign is the entry point.
What the campaign says
The campaign's core message is that Autism is not a single, fixed thing. On the site's "The Autism Experience" section, the Autism Society describes it as "many things" — "dreams, talents, relationships, victories, hurdles, and everything in between." The connecting thread, in their framing, is the individual: "The connection between those experiences is you."
Two phrases carry most of the campaign's weight:
- "You break the mold." A rejection of a single template for what an Autistic person is or should be.
- "The person you are is infinite—and you are the only you there is." An emphasis on individuality over category.
So the campaign is less a program with services and more a framing statement: Autism is a spectrum of experiences, and the people living those experiences define it.
How to take part: Share Your Story
The site's call to action is Share Your Story. The stated purpose is direct — "We want to hear what Autism Is to you." That means the campaign is designed as a two-way exchange rather than a one-way awareness message: the organization publishes the framing, and the community supplies the substance.
If you're considering submitting, a few practical notes:
- What to expect: The site presents this as an open invitation to describe your own experience of Autism. It does not publish a rigid prompt beyond "what Autism Is to you."
- Who it's for: The wording addresses the Autism community broadly — Autistic individuals, and by extension the people connected to them. The site's overall language ("everyone in the Autism community") is inclusive rather than restricted to one group.
- Where it fits: Sharing a story is one of several ways the site routes visitors toward involvement, alongside finding a local affiliate, exploring resources, and supporting the organization's store.
How it connects to the rest of the site
The "Autism Is" campaign isn't isolated — it mirrors the structure of the site as a whole. The homepage pairs the campaign with three practical paths:
| Path | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Screening and Diagnosis | Information on identifying Autism and related conditions, diagnosis by life stage, and educational evaluations |
| Resources by Topic | Topic-based support materials, framed as "the support you need, when you need it" |
| Get Involved | Affiliate networks, public policy efforts, training, and safety programs |
The campaign sits alongside these as the "why" behind them: the resources and programs exist because experiences differ, and the storytelling piece keeps that diversity visible. The site also links the campaign to Find an Affiliate, which connects visitors to local support in their area — so the same page that asks for your story also points you toward in-person community.
What the campaign is not
It's worth being precise about scope. Based on the site's own description, "Autism Is" is a storytelling and awareness campaign, not a service, a diagnostic tool, or a membership program. It doesn't gate resources behind participation, and the site doesn't present it as a formal application or review process. If your goal is practical help — diagnosis guidance, local support, topic-specific resources — those live in the separate sections above. If your goal is to add your voice to how Autism is described and understood, Share Your Story is the mechanism.
The takeaway
The "Autism Is" campaign makes one argument and one request. The argument: Autism is not one experience but many, and no two Autistic individuals share the same one. The request: tell them what Autism is to you. It's consistent with the Autism Society's broader stated mission of creating connections and empowering the Autism community "to live fully" — the campaign supplies the shared framing, and the community supplies the individual stories that fill it in.