The campaign is part of a growing movement to push aside what many believe to be an outdated narrative about battling neurodiversity, instead of embracing neurodiversity within society.

One of the people supporting the movement is Mel Broadbent, a staff member at Portage College in Lac La Biche.

Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at an early age, Broadbent, who is a Production Liaison in the College’s Corporate Communications department, says the Wear Red Instead campaign highlights people with neurodiversity as inclusive contributors to society ­– not as outcasts. She says the growing movement is also helping to educate more people about not only the word ‘autism’ but ‘spectrum’ as well.

“The spectrum is not a line; it’s not that easy. It’s a wheel, and it’s complex. You can have many different ways to be higher on the spectrum or lesser on the spectrum. Some can have higher support needs or lesser support needs, some may be non-verbal, some can live independently, and still be high on the wheel in some areas,” said Broadbent.

The Wear Red Instead campaign is intended as a stark contrast to the long-standing blue campaign promoted through US-based Autism Speaks. That organization announced in January of this year it would be ceasing its operations in Canada after 19 years of service. The departure of the organization- along with its initial campaign focus to “cure” autism and a logo featuring a missing jigsaw puzzle piece – is being applauded by many Canadians, including Broadbent.

“Autism, in all its spectrum points, is not something that is cured. It is something that must be better understood and included in our society,” she said. “People with autism aren’t ‘missing’ anything, they are simply people. We are people who are different, just like everyone is different.”

All too often, she continued, the public sees only the extremes of the spectrum ­– perhaps a screaming child rocking back and forth, or a movie about a ‘savant-like’ character who is brilliant, but socially-awkward.

“Those are extremes – real, but extremes – there are many who are between those extremes, people who need better understanding from the community around them,” she said.

When Broadbent was in high school and post-secondary – where she attained high marks – she did a lot of “masking” to try to ‘fit’ into society. Keeping up that façade was exhausting, and for many can result in something she calls autistic burnout. Many people on the spectrum are masking, she says, risking further stresses, and they shouldn’t have to.

“I used to shift my entire personality because I thought that’s what people wanted. But as I got older, and perhaps found more confidence and learned more about myself, I realized I didn’t have to,” Broadbent said, explaining that it’s not the neurodivergent society that has to work to be accepted, it’s society that must work to accept neurodivergence.”

Broadbent hopes the Wear Red Instead campaign on April 2 will help to create not only awareness, but acceptance of neurodivergence.

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. According to Autism Canada, the same day is known as World Autism Acceptance Day. Autism Canada reports that one in 50 Canadians are on the Autism Spectrum.