The guide below is written by Kerrin Maclean (see her interview from last week here) and originally published on her blog. It is reprinted here with her permission. Kerrin Maclean is an Autism advocate from New Zealand. She vlogs at Aspie Answers, spreading awareness of Autism and invites viewers to witness the everyday life of an ‘Aspie.’ Maclean is also the author of Life of an Aspie and blogs at Life of an Aspie.
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Kerrin Maclean is an Autism advocate from New Zealand. She vlogs at Aspie Answers, spreading awareness of Autism and invites viewers to witness the everyday life of an ‘Aspie.’ Maclean is also the author of Life of an Aspie and blogs at Life of an Aspie. This week she shared tips for spreading autism understanding and acceptance.
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James Sinclair is a marketer and autism advocacy blogger from the UK. He is the founder of the popular website Autistic & Unapologetic where he shares his exploration of what it means to be autistic and reframes the autism advocacy narrative to emphasize understanding and acceptance. He also tweets @AutismRevised and manages the Autistic & Unapologetic page on Facebook. This week he shared his personal experience developing an autistic identity, the wonderful supports provided by his family and fiancée, and stressed the importance of understanding the needs of the individual in any autism advocacy efforts.
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Jared Buck is a late-diagnosed college student studying History. He is also a member of the Deaf community and is passionate about disability advocacy. This week Jared discussed the lack of support he received growing up and how he has managed to find more helpful communities on the path to positive self identity and adult success.
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Let’s expel some myths about autism and dating/sexuality this Valentine’s Day! As always, the best way to do this is to see what people on the spectrum are saying about the topic. Below you’ll find a variety of articles authored by #ActuallyAutistic writers who speak on the topic of dating, romance, and love on the spectrum.
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Robin M. Eames is a queercrip writer, artist, and historian living on Gadigal land (Sydney, Australia). They are currently working on a PhD in History at the University of Sydney. This week Robin discusses current and past representations of disability in literature and general society.
…Shannon Hughes is a writer, designer, and autism advocate with a special interests in autism research. Shannon currently co-hosts the podcast Not Weird, Just Autistic with fellow advocate J.R. Reed where their goal is to promote autism acceptance by removing the barriers – practical, ideological, legal, and social – that marginalize and isolate those with…
Ableism (discrimination against disabled people) is unfortunately so prevalent in society that it has pervaded everyday language. People use this language without even thinking about its origins or the problem with its widespread use. I’ve compiled a list of some of the most common ableist words/phrases in an effort to both illustrate their prevalence and raise awareness for those interested in avoiding this language (and educating others!).
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J.R. Reed is a late-diagnosed autistic blogger and advocate. J.R. currently co-hosts the podcast Not Weird, Just Autistic with fellow advocate Shannon Hughes where their goal is to promote autism acceptance by removing the barriers – practical, ideological, legal, and social – that marginalize and isolate those with autism. This week he shared some of the different facets of his advocacy work.
…As you settle into whatever holiday routine your family might have this time of year, keep in mind ways you can continually accommodate for those around you on the spectrum. Stay in constant communication with those you know on the spectrum so that you can support them in both small and big ways. Small changes…