Parenting and Autisming

There are many articles about parenting a child with autism, but what about parenting when you're the autistic one? I've read a couple of articles that suggested that autism couldn't be an evolutionary step or a genetic trait, because autistic people don't like relationships and so wouldn't produce children. I should probably let all the … Continue reading Parenting and Autisming

Grieving for Autism

There is a grieving process that happens after a diagnosis later in life. But it's not grieving for the autism, it's grieving for the effort that you've had to put in your whole life trying to be someone you're not. It's grief for the you that carried that huge backpack of techniques for appearing normal, … Continue reading Grieving for Autism

Awareness is dead. Long live Awareness

So it's over. April and Awareness and Autism are long gone. We've all grown as people and now we can get on with our lives, safe in the knowledge that we have done our duty and made the world a better place. This was my first Autism Awareness day/week/month as a diagnosed autistic person. That's … Continue reading Awareness is dead. Long live Awareness

Making adjustments for autism can be as easy as honesty

Lots of autistic people are already making many adjustments to fit in with the rest of you. To stop you from feeling uncomfortable. To stop you from noticing us. To keep us all safe from the shadow of "difference". Why are we the ones making adjustments? Because majority defines normality. That's the only reason. It's … Continue reading Making adjustments for autism can be as easy as honesty

Ode to autism

Pointing at the Autism

I can't always tell which bits of me are a result of being autistic, and which bits would have been there anyway. It may not be helpful to know one way or another. I share as many personality characteristics with other autistic people, as I do with other brown eyed people. What we do have … Continue reading Pointing at the Autism

Autistic Connundrums: Humans and interaction

In some ways I may come across as a bit inside out. It's not that I don't like human interaction. This is something that is often misconstrued. Even amongst us autistics we are all individuals. What I don't like is meaningless interaction. There should be a purpose to everything. Often when I've made mistakes … Continue reading Autistic Connundrums: Humans and interaction

“I do that too” The great miscommunication

A lot of people have contacted me to say that they've struggled with well-meaning people saying, "I have that too", when they've tried to explain what it's like to be autistic. And it's not just autistic people, but people with other hidden disabilities too. The problem that we have when people say it, is that … Continue reading “I do that too” The great miscommunication

Post-diagnosis support: The real and the invisible.

I'm feeling a bit unsupported. I don't think that's anyone's fault as such. Certainly no one I can point at, it's more of a vague fist-shake in a general direction. Funding is always at fault though, so the lack of government funding has directly affected my journey. We can start that at the 18 month … Continue reading Post-diagnosis support: The real and the invisible.

I’m a Bloody Bunyip! (You may have to bear with me for this one)

When I was little I had a book about a Bunyip. It was a wonderfully illustrated book about this strange feathered and furred creature, that emerged from a muddy Billabong one night and went around asking everyone it could find, "What am I? What am I?" It wandered, shunned and alone. Told it was a … Continue reading I’m a Bloody Bunyip! (You may have to bear with me for this one)