Communication is a two-way street and when it comes to autism, it's often one-way traffic. When I say that people usually assume they know what I mean. They think I mean that autistic people are disordered and can't communicate as well as non-autistic people. That's not what I mean. Communication is one-way traffic insofar as … Continue reading How I Show Love: Autism
Tag: actuallyautistic
I’m not just Socially Awkward
My autism isn't just what you can see on the surface.
Autism is the Key
My husband always says you can find me in the logic. My actions are always reasoned. There's always a clear pattern to follow. What that meant, before I knew I was autistic, was that all of my logical conclusions about who I am were deeply flawed. That I misjudged and misconstrued both my own motivations, … Continue reading Autism is the Key
Gaslighting
Being an undiagnosed autistic has many challenges. When you compare your reactions to things with other people's, you feel like you're getting it wrong. When other people take things in their stride, and your brain feels like it's expanding inside your skull to the point you can't think, then you feel like you're overreacting. And … Continue reading Gaslighting
Cobwebs: Autistics and Neurotypicals
Autistics and Neurotypicals are a perfect pairing. My husband is neurotypical. I'm autistic. Relationships aren't always easy, but there's something about our pairing that works. When we first got together, there were many miscommunications. They started with my blunt "I like you, I find you attractive." Which he assumed couldn't be fully genuine, because people … Continue reading Cobwebs: Autistics and Neurotypicals
Autism and Work
Below is an account of a time when other people's poor communication, and my lack of understanding of myself, led to me having to leave a job for the sake of my health. Workplace bullying isn't restricted to autistic people, but it is very common. A perfect storm of social expectations, misunderstandings and being misunderstood, … Continue reading Autism and Work
The Autistic Community
One of the most incredible things that the modern world has given us, is a new way to communicate. I want to talk about an emerging group, the Autistic Community. When I first got diagnosed, I didn't really know what to do. I had no idea that such a community existed. I was still me. … Continue reading The Autistic Community
Curing Autism
Can we talk about a cure? There's a real problem when it comes to Autism, and it's not to be found in us autistics. It's to be found in the focus of funding. Time and time again I see people struggling to get diagnosed, and then struggling when there is so little real support … Continue reading Curing Autism
Daisy Chains
In a field of wheat I'm a daisy. The stalks grow close and suffocating, Their shade starves me, Their paper touch deserts me. When the wind blows and they move in waves I cannot bend with them. I watch them move together, Beautiful and swirling, As they jostle my leaves. I am a daisy in … Continue reading Daisy Chains
I would have built robots
When I was little I wanted to make robots. I was going to be an inventor. Robots were the future, they were going to be everything, and I was going to design them. I'd spend ages drawing pictures of different tin-cans with claws and wheels and springs. I remember being frustrated that I didn't know … Continue reading I would have built robots
