blue pumpkins on Halloween to raise awareness about autism

October 31 is Halloween, little Americans, and then little French people too, will go knock, in disguise, on their neighbors’ doors to ask for candy and other treats. 40% of autistic children do not speak or speak very little. Which means that when they knock on the neighbors’ doors, they will not necessarily say the famous formula “trick or treat”, (“trick or treat” in French). And so that these neighbors don’t get offended or find the child rude or the parents have to explain their child’s condition, a blue bucket rather than an orange one to keep the candy sends a clear message.

Blue because it’s the color of Autism Day in April. One in 36 American children is on the autism spectrum according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So, neighbors can also put blue pumpkins in their garden. It’s a way of telling autistic children and their parents that in this house, we know the meaning of a blue Halloween.

This idea of ​​a blue Halloween is inspired by the Teal Pumpkin Project. There, the pumpkins are painted turquoise to signal that we are not only distributing candy and treats because children sometimes suffer from food allergies. Instead, they will be entitled to stickers, gadgets, small toys. It is not known exactly how the idea originated or when. Perhaps from a Facebook post that went viral in 2018 in which a mother from Louisiana talks about her 21-year-old autistic son who loves Halloween even though he no longer has the body of a child and in which she asks people a little patience and understanding when they see someone carrying a blue bucket.

The initiative does not please everyone

This initiative is based on good intentions. But one of the problems is that it is supported by the Autism Speaks organization, which is not at all unanimous in the community. For example, an autistic journalist asks on the NeuroClastic site not to participate in this blue Halloween. She doesn’t want the children to be differentiated that evening when autistic people already feel apart for the rest of the year. And then if neighbors get annoyed that a child doesn’t say hello or “trick or treat”, too bad for them. Some also worry that children with blue will be targeted and harassed by others. If people want to be welcoming to autistic children, they can instead limit light displays in front of their house, avoid loud music or keep their dog indoors. And then obviously be kind and patient, but that, after all, is with everyone.