Yesterday, an amazing thing happened.
Yesterday, a few moms and dads got together, used the power of their combined voices and made a difference.
A friend got her copy of the April issue of Parents magazine in the mail, and realized that there was no mention at all of April being Autism Awareness Month. No stories, nothing at all. She sent us a note. And posted her dismay on the Parents Facebook page.
We followed. Many of us did, in fact. We told Parents magazine that we were disappointed. We were sad. We felt that Parents magazine no longer spoke to families like ours. I said I was letting my subscription lapse. They had missed a huge opportunity to connect with families, and maybe help parents who are struggling to understand what’s going on with their kids. Their initial response was that they had an advertisement for a bed tent for children with autism in this issue, and they were planning two online articles.
We told them that wasn’t enough. In fact, that was condescending. And even more disappointing.
We bombarded them with Facebook posts and messages on Twitter.
Guess what? They listened.
We would like to say again how grateful we are for your feedback and for the reminders in the last 48 hours that autism is not just 1 in 110—it’s about real people and real families. We feel that one of the best ways we can educate our readers and raise awareness for autism is through real-life stories. This is why we want to give you the opportunity to share your story with us and our audience as part of a blog series in addition to our planned articles. If you are interested in participating, please email FacebookSupport@meredith.com with the following information:
• Your Name
• Child’s Name
• Living with Autism: Your Family Story (Please keep stories to 500 words so we can include more voices in the blog.)
• Photo of your child/your family (*Optional. We will include one photo if you’d like.)
• Link to your personal blog/website (*Optional.)We are very sorry for making you and your families feel dismissed or unappreciated. It was not our intention. Autism is an issue worthy of Parents magazine’s attention and we hope we can move forward together to raise awareness throughout April.
Is it enough? Not really. It’s still online content only. But it’s a start. We came together with the same message and someone listened.
Now it’s time for us to follow through. If you want, send them your story. Let them know that it wasn’t just a few of us. Tell them how autism has changed your life – the good, the bad and the ugly. Tell them that autism affects the whole family – mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Tell them how you fight every day for your child to get what he or she needs to get through school and home life. Tell them our kids matter – that they are special, sensational, amazing human beings that deserve to be highlighted in their magazine now and all the time.
And remind them that you hope to see a print version of this next April. Because I’ll be renewing my subscription for one more year. Hoping they do the right thing in 2012.
A huge shout out to my incredible friends who didn’t back down.
The moral of the story? Don’t ever underestimate the power of our voices to speak for our children. When we speak loud enough – and together – people listen.
“Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without
Come on, I’m talking to you, come on
Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without” – Shout by Tears for Fears
Try Defying Gravity 
March 23, 2011 at 11:42 am
XO! Love it…
March 23, 2011 at 1:51 pm
love you!
March 23, 2011 at 11:58 am
Shout it sister! I’m working on my own right now!
March 23, 2011 at 1:50 pm
thanks for sharing it too! This will be quite interesting…
March 23, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Awesome. Working on a story for them…
March 23, 2011 at 1:49 pm
me too!
March 23, 2011 at 12:13 pm
[…] friend Alysia emailed me with a call to action. One of her friends had received the April edition of Parents […]
March 23, 2011 at 1:46 pm
It’s great that they listened, and good for you and the other folks for speaking up! We’re not Parenting Magazine subscribers…so it’s good to hear about these things.
March 23, 2011 at 1:51 pm
It’s a start. Some parents are still upset that it’s not enough, but you have to start somewhere right? You are fighting for some incredible things in Wisconsin – all your voices together make a difference too!
March 23, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Someone just sent me a link to the FB thread…I will be submitting something. Thanks for bringing this to our attention!
March 23, 2011 at 3:29 pm
whatever you write will be AWESOME!
March 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Amen sister. Amen.
March 23, 2011 at 4:27 pm
“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world.”
Margaret Mead
March 23, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Just read this at Spectrummummy’s blog and came over to say how impressed I am with what you have done. I, too, do not follow Parents’ Magazine and find it offensive that they did not even mention Autism Awareness for April. But, I commend you for your efforts to call them on it to the point where you elicited some kind of response, albeit a lame one at that. I would wait on that subscription until next April rolls around to see if the improvements occur. (just cuz I’m that way…) Excellent advocacy!!
You are an amazing person to raise awareness in this way and I admire you very much!! 🙂
March 23, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Thank you! It was a huge team effort – spearheaded by some amazing autism moms. I’m lucky enough to be friends with them. Thank you for your kind words – let’s hope all this advocacy worked!
March 23, 2011 at 8:23 pm
” If you think you’re too small to be effective, you’ve obviously never been in bed with a mosquito” – Michelle Walker
Buzz buzz
March 23, 2011 at 9:11 pm
oh, i love ceecee’s quote.
i caught some of the story about Parents mag, but didn’t realize they had responded. thank you for sharing this! looks like a step in the right direction.
here here!
March 23, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Thanks for your awareness. We need to be heard and we need to share our stories. I just submit mine!
March 24, 2011 at 7:14 am
Parents magazine is using everyone and trying to avoid a major publicity embarrassment. Its no skin off their nose if you want to give them FREE stories by parents of children with autism…they should at least give a large donation to an autism charity: What ever they would have paid for a professional writer to produce a first-run story.
March 24, 2011 at 8:59 am
I agree that this was the easy way out for them. But awareness starts somewhere, even small. If just one struggling mom or dad reads our stories online and gets their child help, then I think that’s a victory. Then they tell two friends…and so on…
I love the idea of the donation to an autism charity. Send that in and let them know!
March 24, 2011 at 8:35 am
I sent over 500 words. I wonder if it will get used at all. I agree with Elise, there should be a donation of a professional fee to an autism charity.
March 24, 2011 at 9:01 am
I’m glad you sent in a story. I was close to the 500 word limit myself – hard to sum up living with autism in just 500 words. I’m hoping they actually do something, and soon. We’re holding them accountable now. And I agree – a donation would be huge.
By the way – I love your picture. My youngest is a huge Oobi fan 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
March 24, 2011 at 10:37 am
Good for you. Good for all of us. We need to stick together and demand awareness and support for the many, many families struggling with and living with ASDs.
March 24, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Good for you too! You are right – if we stick together, we can make a difference. I hope 🙂
March 24, 2011 at 10:38 am
Wow! I’m not actually that surprised that the magazine neglected to mention Autism Awareness Month. I let my subscription lapse a couple years ago because I felt like they didn’t really cover issues that pertained to me.
That said, I am so excited that they have been called to task! Way to go! I think I may actually contribute a story, even though I don’t subscribe.
March 24, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Please send them your story Patty! We all have a story to tell – each one unique, just like our kids. Tell them about your family – about the lengths that you go through to get your children the therapy they need. About the days and nights that you worry about them. Think of the parents you could reach with your amazing words 🙂
March 24, 2011 at 10:54 am
[…] awesome folks at Try Defying Gravity have been covering this expertly and really helped with the push towards getting this resolved and […]
March 24, 2011 at 11:41 am
I had no idea this was going on till I got up this AM. Thank you for sharing this. I’m off to write a 500 word day in the life…
March 24, 2011 at 12:15 pm
[…] posting about a smaller but perhaps just as significant event, as described in the blog “Try Defying Gravity“: Yesterday, an amazing thing […]
March 24, 2011 at 12:22 pm
I’ve been out of the loop and hadn’t heard about this until now. But I’ll submit something today!
March 24, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Yea Jen!! Thank you!
March 24, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Here is what I just added to the discussion on FB. I didn’t realize it was so long, but I just felt it all pouring out. lol
……
I am the proud parent of a 21 year old with Asperger’s, a form of Autism. My child was not diagnosed until very late in his childhood due to circumstances such as this! No one knew the complex symptoms well enough to notice that he was Autistic. He did extremely well in school and they just kept passing him on to the next grade (even skipping a grade), while dismissing my continual questions about his social abilities. He now faces extreme challenges daily and cannot even fathom gaining true acceptance and awareness of his condition.
As a magazine for Parents, you could do SO much in furthering the public knowledge of Autism and the various ways it appears in our society! Does anyone at your magazine know the statistics regarding young people with Autism who will become adults in the next few years? Do you know there is a complete lack of services in many areas; not to mention an across the board shortage of services for young adults or adults with Autism? Do you know the challenges and heartbreak the parents and families face daily? Do you know that many of these youngsters have the ability to go on to college, IF we provide the appropriate support and services? Do you know that we, as parents, worry frequently about how our child will be taken care of when we are gone? Who else will care enough to help them be happy and make the most of their precious lives when? Are you aware of the number of young adults and adults with Asperger’s/Autism who live at home, leading solitary lives, facing depression, and a sense of not being useful or worthy? Do you know that a lack of public acceptance and awareness helps to create an unfriendly, even hostile, world for them? Think about this as well, please. Many of these young people are extremely focused and bright … some of them likely hold the key to curing cancer, solving serious environmental problems, or developing new scientific theories which would benefit ALL of us.
Please, devote some serious, sincere time to this topic and you will be helping the population as a whole, not just those with Autism!
March 24, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Melani – thank you SO much for sharing this with me and the discussion page on FB for Parents Magazine. This is beautiful and touching and you have a great story to tell. You brought tears to my eyes – I’m so glad you let it all pour out!
Please consider e-mail Parents Magazine directly with your story at FacebookSupport@parents.com or mailbag@parents.com. Your story would help so many other parents.
Thank you for all that you’ve done with your son, from those of us just starting this journey.
March 24, 2011 at 12:58 pm
My first reaction to hearing it said that what they did is that they can’t unpublish and unsend the April 2011 issue.
So what’s the goal in calling them out? Is it to create awareness?
If yes, then it’s our responsibility to take advantage of every opportunity we’re given. To make sure they’re so aware that they never forget us.
If not, and the only/main goal is to vent our (however valid) anger and frustration, then what should we expect the outcome to be?
Just a couple questions to think about before taking action. I understand some people saying that they’re using us for free content, and that what they’re doing is not enough.
But we have to also look at the bigger picture and realize it’s a huge opportunity to create awareness and understanding for our children. (And if you want a different outcome, then it’s important to ask them for that, and be specific – I doubt they take hints very well.)
March 24, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I am totally with you. I am looking at the bigger picture here in many ways. Yes – calling them out was about awareness. We knew they couldn’t change the issue, we just wanted them to know what a missed opportunity it was (in light of the fact that I had e-mailed them about the same thing last year). I think it was their initial response of “we have an ad about a bed tent” that threw people for a loop, me included.
But…now it’s different. I agree with you completely that it is now on us as parents to take them up on their offer to send them stories. ALL of us. Think of the impact that hundreds of stories will make – not just on the editors of Parents Magazine, but on the newly diagnosed parents that may stumble on the online content in their search for answers and support. As I said in a previous response – if we help just ONE parent feel a little less alone, or get ONE child diagnosed early so services start sooner, or we help just ONE family understand our kids a little bit better, we’ve done an amazing thing.
And I’ll hope that for the April 2012 edition, they do a print version with even more stories and content.
I hope you take action and send in your story too. Thank you for your insightful comment!
March 24, 2011 at 1:05 pm
“I used to be the kid that no-one cared about, that’s why you have to keep screaming ’till they hear you out,” –rapper Tinie Timbah
March 24, 2011 at 2:12 pm
We would love to hear your stories as our magazine is for you. Please check out http://www.autismfile.com
We are always looking for parent perspective stories and you can be sure we will promote support for your families.
Blessings
Kimberly
March 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Thank You! I’ll be sure to pass along this to everyone!
March 24, 2011 at 3:27 pm
This will be a mistake that they’ll be very unlikely to let happen again.
Great work!
March 24, 2011 at 4:18 pm
I am disappointed that a magazine devoted to educating parents would overlook something like Autism awareness. Claiming one advertisement as inclusion is insulting. I let my subscription to Parents lapse years ago, and I am glad that I did. I find their offer of web space just as insulting.
While I understand that they can’t un-publish an issue, offering to post stories that you write yourself isn’t much better. How about a spread in the May issue? It isn’t only April when parents need this information. Their amendment is really just a brush off.
I say we should continue writing them all year expressing our disappointment. Inundate them with mail, and real stories, and real people and children.
March 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I completely understand your position, and it’s the view that a lot of parents are taking. Part of me is hoping that in their May issue, they have a print version of an apology, or at least a mention of their mistake. I’m going to be an optimist here until I see the May issue. I’m also hopeful that maybe this will open their eyes to the numbers of parents who have been turned off by their magazine because of their lack of autism coverage – or special needs coverage in general – and maybe they’ll make it a regular column or feature in their print magazines. Hope springs eternal.
I will be writing them all year to remind them that we’re still here and that we’re still expecting more. In the meantime, I’m also taking them up on their offer to write in a story for their online version. I know that a year ago after my son’s diagnosis, I searched the internet for help. When I came across a blog or a story that sounded like mine, I was in tears. Of comfort. If that happens to one parent because of our stories, then we’ve done some good towards understanding, awareness and acceptance.
March 24, 2011 at 7:23 pm
What an inspiration! Thank you so much for your kind comments and support on my SITS day. I like you, too and will subscribe!
March 24, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Thank you and thank all of those who did this. It’s so important to let everyone know what life can be like as a family dealing with autism. And the numbers just continue to rise. I know this is just a start, but a start is an important step. Thanks again to you and your friends for making this happen!
March 24, 2011 at 9:03 pm
thank you! Will you be sending in your story? I hope so!
March 24, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Wonderful! I’ve linked your blog from my blog– I hope you don’t mind. I hadn’t looked at our April issue yet to see their disregard of the issue. Thank you for this!
March 24, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Link away! I’m honored. thank you!
March 25, 2011 at 3:02 pm
And why in the world just during April? I mean, I know it’s a starting point – but still. Autism and dealing with it is not just an issue for parents in April.
March 25, 2011 at 3:11 pm
You’re right – it should be all year round. April is the month designated as Autism Awareness Month, so while awareness and articles should always be there, this is the month that it should be featured on the cover. That’s why we were so focused on April.
March 26, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Enjoyed your wonderful post over at Squashed Bologna. Thanks!
=)
March 26, 2011 at 1:02 pm
thank you!!!
March 27, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Thank you! I am sending my story right now. Shared on Twitter & Fb, too!
March 27, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Well done! Oh the power of social media. Some of my Irish friends (two in particular) started a campaign here very recently to get Dublin Zoo to allow Assistance Dogs access to all areas in the zoo. They were up against a brick wall but when they too were bombarded with emails and facebook comments they agreed to a meeting. And guess what? Assistance Dogs are now allowed in Dublin Zoo!
KEEP SHOUTING!
xx Jazzy
March 28, 2011 at 11:21 am
I find it amazing that after so many efforts to bring the issue of autism to the American public a magazine that used to be a staple in my home ignores a very important voice. That of my family and my 17 year old son specifically. This comment has nothing to do with the struggles of raising an autistic child specifically. What it does have to do with is making others aware and informed so that their passage through the maze of autism is smoother than mine and countless others. We need to be the voice and are for a change.
March 28, 2011 at 11:45 am
Denise,
My son is 21 (I have already posted above) and I could not agree with your comment more! We had a late diagnosis due to a complete lack of awareness and dismissal of our concerns. Now that we have the diagnosis, it is VERY difficult for an older child / young person to accept and deal with. Treatments options are also limited by this age as most are geared towards young children.
Thank you for your post!!
March 29, 2011 at 11:17 am
[…] the push for understanding and acceptance for those living with Autism or the discontent with influential sources’ lack of attention to the month trickle into groups that otherwise are not focused on […]
March 30, 2011 at 2:33 am
I am so proud of all of you! You are right in that we all have to keep shouting until others listen. Thanks for the wonderful reminder!
March 31, 2011 at 3:58 pm
[…] Magazine lack of including autism awareness in their April issue (you can read the story here, here, here and here), I was inspired to take on HD and AS. How could they have dropped the ball so […]
April 6, 2011 at 12:44 pm
[…] view mirror. She smiled at me. She knew I knew. Because I had written about it here. And here. And here […]
May 1, 2011 at 10:27 pm
[…] back on these past 30 days. Days that brought us an awareness campaign that started with a conversation with Parents Magazine and ended with 31 amazing stories in their “Voices of Autism” […]