Challenging the Stigma of Autism

There remains a great deal of controversy and divisiveness around how autism is viewed. This has a direct impact on the stigma that historically has become associated with the word autism or ASD. Is autism a "disease" that needs to be cured, or is it a human condition, characterized by strengths and challenges, that is as much a part of a person as is their gender and racial identity? Is it something that a person has, or is it more about who a person is?