Autistic Exhaustion

Being autistic brings various challenges and joys with it. I adore my hyper-focus and passions, but I loathe the inevitable misunderstandings and sensory bombardments. I am a carefully balanced human. I know that things that won’t be stressors to other people will be problematic for me. I know that spending time in a group will … Continue reading Autistic Exhaustion

Autscriptic: Mild Autism

In 2016 I wrote a post that seemed to capture people’s imagination in a way that others didn’t. Autscriptic has since been shared far and wide. It taught me that there is great power in sharing conversations between neurotypes: Laying bare the misunderstandings that tangle us up. The first Autscriptic was about the trials of … Continue reading Autscriptic: Mild Autism

I’m not just Socially Awkward

My autism isn't just what you can see on the surface.

Empathy, Imagination and Autism

True empathy means accepting an experience, even when you will never share it

Autistic Bilingualism

I am expected to be fluent in non-autistic, but it will always be my second language.

You’ll get used to it…

'You'll get used to it." They said, and I waited. I waited for that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof click in my head that would mean it had settled into background noise. But it never came. Not for the seams on my socks, or the band of my bra, or the brace for my … Continue reading You’ll get used to it…

We need to talk about bras

It's time bra design took into account the sensory needs of #Autistic women.

Angry or Gentle: being misunderstood

Year one post-autism-diagnosis was a year of changing how I see myself. It was a year of learning to accept my changeable limits and deciding to work with my autism instead of against it. So far, year two is about other people. Those in my immediate circle, family and friends, have begun to feel comfortable … Continue reading Angry or Gentle: being misunderstood

When is a Stim-Toy not a Stim-Toy?

There's been a lot of talk about annoyance at the main-streaming of stim-toys like fidget spinners. It seems like every child I know has one. In some ways it's been lovely seeing something designed for Neurodiverse people, being taken up by the mainstream. But then came the inevitable backlash, because it's a loophole in many … Continue reading When is a Stim-Toy not a Stim-Toy?

My Autistic Physicality

I didn't know I used my muscles in strange ways until it was pointed out to me. I didn't know it was a thing. I hadn't seen it in the diagnostic criteria, though I may well have been asked about it. I would have answered that I move well, no issues. My reflexes are fast, … Continue reading My Autistic Physicality