My New Tattoo: Embrace Autism

     So two weeks ago, I got a new tattoo. It's a butterfly with 3 visible wings. One is blue, one is red, and the other is yellow. The body of the butterfly is green. They are the colors usually associated with Autism Awareness. Below the butterfly, it says "Embrace Autism." I've wanted the tattoo for a while but just wasn't brave enough to get it. I also didn't have the money. My cousin was going to do it for me for free. However, he recently lost his job and couldn't afford the ink. 

    Then my brother ended up getting a tattoo (without telling my parents lol). He gave me the card of the guy who did it, saying he was really good. Also, my parents didn't kill him when they found out about his tattoo. I decided to at least go down to the shop and get an estimate. When I got there, we talked about it and the artist told me he could do it that night. I said, "Why not?" 

     Some of my friends couldn't believe I had actually gotten a tattoo. However, everyone seems to like it. It's also a great conversation starter with people I don't even know. They come up and ask me about autism and the purpose behind my tattoo. That's exactly why I got it. I want people to start conversations with me about autism. I want to raise awareness about autism and to show people that autism may not present the ways they think it will. Some people see my tattoo and ask if I have autism. I want them to ask. A lot of people are surprised when they find out I have autism. I want them to know autism looks different in each person. And just like my tattoo says, I want people not only to be aware of autism but to embrace it as well.

"I live in the same world you do; I just experience it differently. I have am a human being with feelings, just like you; I just express them in my own way." ~Me~