“BUT YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE MY AUTISTIC CHILD” ACCOMMODATING THE WIDELY IGNORED NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS AT HISTORIC SITES

It is widely assumed by the public that autism is a disability that mainly impacts children.This is not true. The Center for Disease Control estimates that over 2% of the American adult population is autistic. Historically, autism advocacy has prioritized the needs of autistic children and their caregivers. As a result, the needs of autistic adults have been largely ignored and even suppressed. Most historic sites do not provide adequate access to autistic people, despite a federal mandate to do so. Those that do, center the needs of autistic children and their families over adults. A child-focused accessibility approach at historic sites fails to address a population that accounts for more than 168 million people. Historic sites must begin to respond to the growing demand for autistic access as autistic adults become more visible in society, and more aware of their right to accessible space.