I think this article is a great read. It shows how autistic people telling their stories are making a difference.
My Child is Autistic, Autistic Adults Changed My Perspective
A summary:
When this mother's child was diagnosed as autistic, she first found various therapies to "make her child act normal" (my words, not hers), including ABA therapy. She viewed autism as more of a sentence than a diagnosis.
Then she began reading blogs by autistic adults and learned to take a brighter view of her child's future and accept her child's autism (and abandoned ABA therapy).
My Child is Autistic, Autistic Adults Changed My Perspective
A summary:
When this mother's child was diagnosed as autistic, she first found various therapies to "make her child act normal" (my words, not hers), including ABA therapy. She viewed autism as more of a sentence than a diagnosis.
Then she began reading blogs by autistic adults and learned to take a brighter view of her child's future and accept her child's autism (and abandoned ABA therapy).