vvTo add onto bafnb's comment below ((they explained it fantastically, so i'm just gonna add onto it :>)), puzzle pieces are very offensive in the Autistic community (source: i am Autistic). Note that the following is not meant to be attacking anyone, rather is to educate. The puzzle piece is, of course, bad. What can one use instead? The infinity symbol! This is also used for Neurodiversity in general, but typically just for Autism. It's always better to go for what has been created by and for Autistic people. We can speak and think for ourselves, and we do not need allistic people speaking for us.
Other offensive/allistic-made stuff and their alternatives: Person-first language. This means saying "person with Autism," "person living with Autism," "person with Asperger's (syndrome)," etc. One's Autism is not something that a person can lose or have disciplined/medicated out of them, rather it is an integral part of the way they think and live their lives. This is not true for everyone, however, and it is important to respect how and why people want to be referred. It is better to say "Autistic person" unless told otherwise. Blue as an Autistic colour. Not only does this perpetuate the incorrect assumption that Autistic people are mainly male, but it is associated with autism speaks ((which i and most Autistic people hate)). Some alternatives are red (#redinstead), gold (its symbol on the periodic table is Au), and rainbow (a general Neurodivergent colour scheme). Autism Speaks. Noooo nonono. They support curing Autism ((though they don't use the word, they still support it)), which is, evidently, bad, and likely impossible. They support ABA therapy, which is harmful, overwhelming, and just plain doesn't work. In general, they perpetuate many negative and otherwise untrue stereotypes about Autistic people. Any Autist-run/Autist-friendly organization should do you good.
Don't take this as an end-all be-all, however. Autistic people are not a monolith, there are deffo gonna be some who like the puzzle piece, prefer person-first language, or otherwise. If this is true, /respect their decision/, we have enough problems being spoken for. I myself have this saved because i like jigsaw puzzles :>
@RE Puzzle pieces being seen as offensive in the autistic community
Firstly they, as well as the colour blue to represent autism, are heavily linked with the organisation Autism Speaks, which often doesn't appear to have the best interest in mind and are looking for a cure, rather than a better understandig of autistic people. Also most, if not all of their representatives/heads are allistic. There's videos out there, that go into better detail than I can right now. Two I can think of right now are "The Horror of Autism Speaks" by illuminaughtii and "Mr Enter on Autism Speaks" by TheMysteriousMrEnter.
The puzzle piece as a symbol was also invented by someone allistic, to represent, how autistic people were puzzling to allistic people. There's also a variety of other unfavourable interpretations and implications, i.e. that autistic people have to fit into society as we know it, that there is something missing from them, that would make them 'properly human' etc.
This is a super pretty bracelet design! I know this is supposed to be for autism awareness, but a lot of the comments say that it’s offensive to them so I might just use this cause I love the art/design 🙂
My brother has autism and I don’t find this offensive, I would ask my brother but he doesn’t like to talk about it. After learning a few social cues things were easier, but the best thing to not be offensive is to not make rude comments or assume and to not baby or manipulate people with autism just because they are different.
So I have asd And the puzzle piece is very offensive to me and a lot of the other people in the community you can Use this pattern as like an art piece just please don’t represent it with autism
I’ve heard some negative things about the organization associated with this symbol.. I think it’s called Autism Speaks and it’s caused a lot of controversy
This pattern is so pretty !!!! I'm gonna make this one now! Fun Fact -- This year i had to do a short story for my class and it was about two kids who where "magically" sucked into this puzzle. So when they were in the puzzle they had to find the missing piece of the puzzle before they could leave. And then just to be annoying I ended it with a cliffhanger! And i have been looking for a pattern that goes with the theme of my short story and i think i found it!
