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April is autism awareness month and we start on April second with a campaign called light it up blue!!! Autism awareness's main color is blue so, being a father to an autistic awesome little boy, I'm going to start painting minis blue every April!!! If you're interested in learning more about autism check out www.autismspeaks.org

I'm in the process of moving my family to another state so this is all I've been able to do. But I wanted to show something today. Lets see your blue minis for AUTISM AWARENESS!!!





Automatically Appended Next Post:

Hello, I am autistic and would just like to say this. Autism Speaks/Autistica is an abhorrent organisation.

They believe that autism and Asberger's syndrome are curable 'diseases' to be eradicated instead of understood and accomadated for and such have supported various anti-vaxination organisations. They treat autism as a 'curse' that destroys families, and while people with severe cases may cause difficulties for their families, this attitude does nothing to support autistic people and instead demonises them and ignores any of the possitives that they can experience from their neurological difference.

They do nothing to actually help autistic individuals or educate the public on how to make the world a more accomadating place for neuroatypical people. I'd recommend supporting neurodiversity and autism rights groups instead. I apologise for the rant but I just would like people to understand the damage this organisation does. Thank you.

I agree with the above. I watched some of their videos when first curious about the AS organisation and the flak they are given, and the words they used were all about the "suffering" of the parents. How much burden they bear, etc. At one point even used an example that a mother had considered driving her car into a river with her daughter inside.

I am very mildly affected by autism (less so as I get older - many comforting activities and points of distress have faded) through Dyspraxia, but I will always stand beside anyone affected if they need support. However I cannot support a charity that capitalises on making autism out as a demon.
When autism is an integral part of a living personality, we cannot speak about it like it is some kind of cancer. A perplexing aspect and often frustrating for both sides (carer and those cared about), but a part of who we are.

I do however think this is a brilliant thing you are doing, and I hope your son enjoys looking at the models. If I have spare time toward the end of April, I'll try and join in.

nudibranch wrote:
Hello, I am autistic and would just like to say this. Autism Speaks/Autistica is an abhorrent organisation.

They believe that autism and Asberger's syndrome are curable 'diseases' to be eradicated instead of understood and accomadated for and such have supported various anti-vaxination organisations. They treat autism as a 'curse' that destroys families, and while people with severe cases may cause difficulties for their families, this attitude does nothing to support autistic people and instead demonises them and ignores any of the possitives that they can experience from their neurological difference.

They do nothing to actually help autistic individuals or educate the public on how to make the world a more accomadating place for neuroatypical people. I'd recommend supporting neurodiversity and autism rights groups instead. I apologise for the rant but I just would like people to understand the damage this organisation does. Thank you.

Thank you for speaking up about this. More people need to hear this.

Here is my contribution!

While not afflicted by Autism myself, I have a close friend who has an autistic child. As the child has gotten older, his autism is becoming more manageable, but I do endorse supporting people with autism and promoting understanding for them, as my friend's son is an awesome little guy.

Here's my blue contribution, a Blood Angels Librarian I converted up and painted late last year. One of my favorite models to date. Blue is certainly a lot of fun to paint!







Looking forward to seeing more contributions. Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

@nudibranch don't apologise for ranting bud. I didn't know anything about that organisation. My wife and i have been raising our child pretty much without support until recently. We were given some websites for support and that one was at the top of the list. I will do better research before i suggest a site in the future! Thank you for pointing this out to me.

Thanks for all the contributions so far! Im working on my trollkin champ little by little!!

I don't often paint blue, so I've only got a mini from a few years ago to show. but for this cause, I'd be more than happy to wheel him out:

as a mother of an autistic child I firmly support this great idea!

One has to be wary of many sites, autism being a spectrum disorder means that there are a huge number of variations of it, for one thing, and to my mind, likely simply means that scientist and researchers do not know enough to be able to not only isolate causes but even to isolate distinct differences in what we are all now calling autism as well. For instance, because of some overlap, ADHD is now being considered as part of the spectrum. OCD as well. Some of this is simply tendancies for autistic people to have issues in these areas, but for usefulness as a diagnostic tool or treatment tool it is somewhat weak. I say somewhat because putting so many things under one umbrella does not aid in the search for first causes. It is symptomatic treatment - which is needed, and fine, but tends to lead to conversations like the following one I had with one of my son's teachers, when he was in elementary school. I explained he was autistic, or asperger's, again that spectrum thing, and she replied, well isn't there a pill for that? The implication being it was not so very different from ADHD.

Of course I did not fault her for her ignorance, she really didn't know. But it is an issue when dealing with schools I've found. Hence I always try to educate where I can, while explaining of course I'm not an expert.

Anyway, not trying to rant or tell my life story either here, but I find it very uplifting to find others with similar issues. Support for autism has grown, thankfully, and for those with autism, but there is still a long way to go, really. My son is a young adult and the resources out there for him are paltry tbh. He will likely cope, his dad and I did and we both suspect we're both undiagnosed as well. But it's disheartening to see the lack of availability of support, generally.

At any rate! Minis in blue!! well after hunting for a few pics:

Here is mine.

Thanks for the awesome contributions!!! Keep it up!

Have some Pedro in your lives



I teach an SEN class, so work a lot with children on the spectrum. Always happy to do a bit more though, especially if it involves models (I have shown them this model and they loved it. Must be the blue).

Bluest I have:

A few blue tanks of mine.
Not all are this pattern. Just these lot.

I've got a whole squad of these guys. Just got sick of all natural foresty colours.



Go on you Blues!



...aaaaand my nice blue Shadowseer.


and of course this guy, A-Blue-men, hand of A-Blue-rion

Delighted to show my support in any small way that I can. Here's my WIP Wraithlord for my craftworld Aceriyan.

Im so happy to see so much support!!! You guys are awesome! I've made some progress on my trollkin champ. Post pics soon i hope. Moving is time consuming

I got some base colors down and some washes. My sons favorite colors are red and blue so red cloth it is!

Some librarians I did earlier this year

Great idea for a thread!

Here are some of mine:

Great idea for a thread. Here's some of my boys in blue.

Excellent idea! I taught a number of autistic kids back when I was a teacher and however much the school tries, they often get a rough deal from the other kids' lack of understanding.

Blue - Fenris Marauder and investigators



Blue - Old Crow vehicle and Mantick Orx



BLUE - Admech Skitarii Vanguard



BLUUUUEEEEEEE - Reaper Bones Earth Elemental



Blue-ish - Tehnolog tank and Dreamforge Eisenkern

One of My HQs from my Night Lords army:

I have my own little "Sheldon Cooper" with what would be "mild" autism and ADHD.
It does make it entertaining when he always assumes you are wrong and little can convince him otherwise.
I find it is more a lesson of "accommodation" for both sides.
It is funny how it can be a reverse prejudice: he looks a perfectly "normal" handsome little guy.
Some people simply cannot believe he is just "wired different".
Smart athletic kid, I have little to complain by rights.
Oddly, I have little that is blue at the moment, I am not painting Ultramarines however...

found a couple more.


that same librarian again!


and the world's first autism awareness tribute grot.

I like painting blue. Probably because it's such an easy colour to paint, lol.

Aeronautica Imperialis, 15mm scale tiny fighters!




Some of my blue carapaced Tyranids.




And a blue test Saurus.

First and foremost, I would like to say I have Autism.

Second, here is an Ultramarine Standard Bearer my dad painted.

Sorry about the crappy pic.

10 more days in april!