Our Values

All autistic people are welcome, including those formally diagnosed, self-diagnosed, or just exploring this part of their identity. There is a broad range of diversity in the autism community, including those with higher support needs and those with lower support needs. Oftentimes these are divided into two different communities. We are one community and people with any level of support needs are welcome. No one is too autistic or not autistic enough.

Non-speaking individuals are welcome to participate in our group. Verbal communication is not superior to other ways of communicating. Everyone has an equal voice.

We encourage everyone to advocate for their needs in our community and we do our best to accommodate every request. As a volunteer- and peer-led community, we don’t have social workers and aides on staff. Members are welcome to bring an aide or companion with them if needed. 

We use the following language about autism: 

Autistic, as opposed to a person with autism. 

Although each individual can choose for themselves what language to use when referring to themselves, as an agency, Full Spectrum supports the usage of autistic. Most of us view our autism as an inherent and inseparable part of our identity. Saying a person with autism implies that our autism is an undesirable condition that can somehow be separated and removed. As an agency, we believe that being autistic is okay and even good, and we are proud to be autistic founded and led.

Lower support needs/higher support needs, as opposed to high functioning/low functioning. 

While we respect each individual’s right to identify any way they choose, as an agency, we choose not to use functioning labels. Functioning labels can be damaging in the following ways. 

Low functioning is insulting and creates lower expectations for individuals labeled in this way. People can internalize this label and expect less of themselves than they are truly capable of. It can create a negative self-image and lower self-esteem. Even if we don’t label a person as low functioning, if we are labeling others as high functioning, it can make other people feel bad if they know they are not considered high functioning. 

The reality is that each of us has areas where we excel and have lower support needs and areas where we struggle and have higher support needs. It is contextual and can change over time. We may get better at some things while declining in other areas. It is not static and should not have a static label that creates a lifetime of stigma. 

We recommend describing the specific type of support an individual needs for a specific task or activity. When discussing groups we recommend using the phrases high support needs and low support needs. 

The label high functioning can prevent people from getting the support they need. When someone is labeled high functioning and they don’t have a physical disability, people assume that the person is not disabled, does not need support, and/or should be able to do things that everyone else can do. This creates unrealistic expectations in the workplace, school, and even at home. 

Difference, rather than deficit

In clinical and medical communities, the traits and characteristics of autism are referred to as deficits. While we recognize that each individual may have areas where they want to improve, we choose not to label traits of autism as deficits, but rather as differences. Every culture has different social norms that may dictate what is considered a deficit. For example, in cultures where eye contact is considered rude, those who make eye contact could be considered to be the one with the deficit. This is subjective. Many of the traits and characteristics of autism are differences in cultural and social norms and we view those simply as differences, not deficits.

Full Spectrum Agency is an inclusive community that welcomes people of all backgrounds. We don’t exclude people based on any aspect of their identity, including disability, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious or political beliefs.

Autism is not a tragedy and does not need to be fixed or cured. Autism is a way of being that is not wrong, just different.