Your feelings about puzzle piece logos of autism charities?

Post Reply New Topic

I've never noticed it to be honest and if I've seen it then I wouldn't have instantly thought "oh that must mean autism".

There's a symbol for almost everything these days. It's like we've lost the capacity to think and take notice of actual people.

I hate being treated like this by whatever agency is behind all these signs and symbols. I'd rather just get to know for myself if someone is autistic or gay or from whatever other section of society they're from.

I think autistic people have more important things to be concerned about. But i dont mind it, they have to pick a symbol and a puzzle isn`t bad or offensive.

A rainbow of colours is too associated with sexuality which is likely to cause confusion for others.

That's ironic, and highlights how good A$ is at marketing, because they've managed to take a symbol that long predates them and make it so people associate it specifically with them.

The puzzle piece actually originated with the National Autistic Society (UK) in 1963, and was used to symbolize that we "suffer from a puzzling condition". In their original logo, it was paired with a weeping child, to represent the suffering.

Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of the history and associations of the puzzle piece. I've heard some people interpret it in a more accepting way, as a symbol of how NTs find autistic people puzzling, but those interpretations aren't as common as the negative ones.

Originally "rainbows" were associated with race...as in Jesse Jackson's "Rainbow Coalition" (folks of every skin hue banding together). Then the LBGT movement seized on rainbows to represent each of their component groups in that acronym (lesbians, gays, trans, bi, etc). And now autistics use it to represent the "spectrum" of autism (rainbows are the result of light being broken up into its range of wavelengths - the actual literal "spectrum of light"- the differing wavelengths of light are what colors are in the first place). But thats three different political uses of rainbows. So it is a bit cliche and confusing by now.

I dunno. The motiff could be taken to mean that WE autistics are a "puzzle" to figure out. Or it be taken to mean that its a challenge to get autistics to fit into the jigsaw puzzle of society without some work.

How about the old "Square Peg in a Round Hole" symbol?

I'll take it.


Also this:

I like it. I think it is very descriptive...at least of my personal experiences in life. I think I'd go with a simpler line drawing, though.

Others have also liked the idea before: <link> <link> <link>

I did find one dissenting opinion though: <link>

But I think it is very descriptive.

I am just hate the puzzle piece. I have feelings either way for any of the other proposed symbols I have seen.

I dislike it because I associate it with Autism Speaks, plus I don't like the fact that we're viewed as "puzzles" that need to be "solved".

Yes, when I see it I point it out to my husband and say, "LOL! Maybe someday they'll PUZZLE you out! Do you think they will find out how to get you out of your GLASS FORTRESS?!? You sure are a PROBLEM!"

Then he calls me a monkey (since I am neurotypical and also not as smart as him).

And then we go on about our day.

So yeah, I think it's low key offensive. It is also too vague. Like saying "Donate money to help the poor." Which poor? Where are they? Who gets the money? What will the money do?

Rainbows mean diversity. That's consistent across all those uses.

Agreed. I love rainbows!

And for those who take issue with the rainbow infinity symbol, I've seen some using a gold infinity symbol. I prefer the former, however.

I don't mind the rainbow infinity symbol. Something I'll mention is that I really don't like the fact that the puzzle piece symbols are often red/blue/yellow. That's the colouration of a lot of children's toys and it seems so infantilising to me. People seem to full on forget that adults with autism exist and all they think about is little kids.