All Elite Wrestling is a true alternative to WWE. They give their wrestlers a creative freedom, they are TV-14, they highlight LGBTQ wrestlers and ban fans who do not comply with their “AEW is for everyone” mantra. One thing they have also done is become the first wrestling company to be sensory inclusive for fans that fall on the autism spectrum.
A post was recently shared on Reddit detailing the lengths AEW went to make sure all families felt welcome. Blackdragon8577 shared his experience.
My wife teaches kids with autism. Seeing the effort made by AEW with these bags made her cry and turned her into a real AEW fan.
Reddit
These bags included
-Noise Canceling Ear Muffs
-Several fidget toys
-A cue card for non-verbal people
-A special lanyard so the staff could identify people with sensory disorders
-A cool drawstring bag to carry it all in
Normally these are provided at $25 a piece from KultureCity, but these were provided for free to anyone that requested it.
There was also a room with lower lighting, bean bag chairs, and less noise, where people with sensory disorders and their families could watch the show. It was free with a ticket, you just had to register.
Also, apparently the entire staff at the venue was trained on how to identify and better help people with sensory disorders.
This was really impressivetoyto my wife and I. It definitely stood out as one of the things setting AEW apart from anyone else.
She sees it all the time. Kids and adults with these disorders like autism can’t enjoy living ve events despite being diehard fans. This is a community of people that has traditionally been misunderstood and ignored. To see a company go through so much effort and really put their money where their mouth is, it’s something really special.
So, from my wife and I, thank you so much Brandi Rhodes and AEW. You made a lot of people’s dreams come true that night. People who thought they would never get to see a live wrestling event. It was such a wonderful thing to see.
There has been a few stories on the internet now about how AEW is converting people into wrestling fans because of the way they treat people. Some people are feeling represented by the roster and others are feeling respected because their specific needs are being met.
We here at Bodyslam commend AEW for attempting to make wrestling enjoyable by all.
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