Threedeemee is a UK blogger and mother of an autistic son. Sensory issues and other autistic traits led her to self-diagnose as an adult before a formal evaluation ruled out this diagnosis. Today she blogs at The Greatest Adventure, opening up about her experiences raising an autistic son where other parents can find encouragement, information and support through shared parenting experiences.
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Engaging with individuals on the spectrum should be a foundational part of any parent’s plan to support their autistic child. It’s relatively easy and comfortable to access resources from doctors, therapists, and other parents of children on the spectrum. Communicating with or accessing resources from people who are #actuallyautistic is sometimes, unfortunately, an afterthought; however, there is plenty of information easily available from autistic sources for anyone interested.
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Bob Christian, “Aspergers Poet,” is a father, husband, and poet on the autism spectrum. He blogs about his life, on The Ramblings of Bob Christian. He is also author of a collection of poetry called Behind the Mask. This week, he shared his experiences on receiving a late diagnosis and having two neurotypical daughters.
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Photo by Peter Brown
Erin Clemens is an author, speaker, consultant, and advocate on the autism spectrum. She recently presented at a TEDx conference on “The Natural Rhythm of Stimming.” This week she shared some of her personal experiences as someone on the spectrum*. She hopes that by sharing these experiences, people can learn from what she has been through, and apply it to what may help others on the autism spectrum.
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Samantha Crane is the Director of Public Policy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s national office. Samantha graduated from Harvard Law School and served as a staff attorney focusing on enforcing the right to community integration as established by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C. This week Samantha shared some of her background studying law and how she uses her experience to publicly advocate for others on the spectrum.
William Stillman, also known as “The Autism Whisperer” for his ability to connect with and interpret people on the spectrum, is a psychic and an award-winning author of multiple books, including Autism and the God Connection: Redefining the Autistic Experience Through Extraordinary Accounts of Spiritual Giftedness. This week he offered several resources for parents interested in learning more about the autistic connection to the spiritual world.
The 4th of July can be complicated for people both on and off the spectrum. As a teenager in the summer, I worked in a seasonal store my aunt managed that sold fireworks. I remember the excitement of customers purchasing explosives sure to fuel spectacular shows. The 4th of July was always fun and just a little bit bit dangerous (My cousin burned his hand badly enough one year to land him in the hospital and justify all my mom’s warnings about firework safety). No matter where we celebrated, cookouts and quality time with friends and family were always a part of the holiday. Now that I’ve grown older and had kids, the holiday brings a mixed bag of feelings. Loud fireworks after bedtime outside of whatever celebration we are participating in are not welcome. The 4th of July also presents unique challenges for individuals on the spectrum. Despite these challenges, there are ways to accommodate for a safer and more enjoyable holiday. This begins with learning about auditory sensitivities and how they impact people.
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Anna is an autistic blogger and advocate who blogs about a variety of topics related to autism at AnonlymouslyAutistic.net. This website is designed to inspire through the sharing of stories and experiences. Anna tells visitors, “Writing is therapy” and “Hopefully something that I have to share might be helpful to you in your life.” This week Anna shared some of the ways she addresses the specific challenges that come along with being an “invisible” autistic.
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Do you consider yourself an autism advocate? Are you advocating in ways that the autistic community would appreciate? How do you know? Reaching out to the autistic community takes a dose of humility, but that’s only the first step. To what degree and the manner in which we reach out is even more important. The basic seeds of advocacy must begin on a foundational respect for the humanity of individuals on the spectrum.
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Alix Generous is a professional speaker, neuroscientist, author, tech consultant, and observational comedian. From 2013 to September 2016, she was the co-founder for Podium (formerly AutismSees), a social impact company that creates technology to help high functioning autistic millennials improve their presentation skills. In her 2015 TED talk, she comedically shares how tech improved her public speaking skills. This week she shared some of her personal experiences growing up on the autism spectrum and the current state of autism-related technology.