autistic – Autistic Science Person

January 5, 2022January 5, 2022

10 Tips for Parents New to Autism

Here are 10 tips for anyone who is new to understanding autism and autistic people.

November 28, 2021November 28, 2021

Why Social Skills Training Does Not Help Autistic People

8 orange pawn pieces grouped together and one brown pawn piece by itself on a clear surface.

Here's the main reason why "social skills training" makes no sense to me: There is no neurotypical formula for social interaction.

November 13, 2021November 15, 2021

Autistic Unmasking: How to Unlearn Trauma Responses

cozy mustard yellow tent with bed and terrace looking out onto the ocean.

I've written about masking and sensory pain a lot. But there are still things I notice even years after recognizing that I'm autistic. Masking is Subconscious and Pervasive I've been wearing headphones around my neck everytime I go out, even just for in person meetings inside. Recently I was early for a meeting, someone came …

Continue reading "Autistic Unmasking: How to Unlearn Trauma Responses"

September 26, 2021

Autistic Burnout Is More Than Burnout

skeleton with head on a laptop with sticky notes and a notebook that says S O S in red ink.

I think I just realized why autistic burnout is so bad. When autistic people reach their limits, they continue because they know they have to continue to be considered valuable.

September 11, 2021September 26, 2021

What Autistic Advocacy Really Means

White person looking at a computer in distress putting their hands on their headphones and looking tired.

What I want to talk about is the lasting effects that occur when autistic people are used as a commodity, a political football, a theoretical argument, as exploitation, when autistic people have to witness the dehumanization and legal torture of autistic people.

July 29, 2021July 29, 2021

Sensory Sensitivities Are Not Preferences, They’re Needs

Person with hands over ears looking down, people talking behind them in a large machine building.

I have a request for non-autistic people, and anyone who does not experience sensory sensitivities: Treat sensory sensitivities as disabilities and accommodate them as you would for any other person who is pain. Believe Them.

July 19, 2021July 29, 2021

Autistic Hygiene

white ceramic bathtub with running water

I explain why it can be so hard to do hygiene tasks, like brushing teeth or showering, as an autistic person.

July 10, 2021July 11, 2021

Yes, It Really Is Legal to Electrically Shock Disabled Children in The US as Punishment #StopTheShock

Is It Legal in the US to Electrically Shock These People or Animals with the Graduated Electronic Decelerator as a Punishment? List: Animals at the Zoo - No. Abled People in Prison - No. Abled Neurotypical Children - No. Autistic Children - Yes. Children with Intellectual Disabilities - Yes. Children with Developmental Disabilities - Yes. Abled Neurotypical Adults - No. Autistic Adults - Yes. Adults with Intellectual Disabilities - Yes. Adults with Developmental Disabilities - Yes. This is not a Treatment or Therapy. This is Torture. #StopTheShock

Please help #StopTheShock - It is legal in the US to shock disabled people right now at the Judge Rotenberg Center. This is not okay.

May 17, 2021

Be Honest: Autistic vs Neurotypical Honesty

Flow chart with 6 boxes. Top box: Autistic person saying something to a neurotypical. Next box - Neurotypical black box of thinking/emtoions/concepts. Box 1A - Neurotypical Negative Reaction, Box 2A - Autistic person knows to never say those words to anyone ever again. Box 1B - Neurotypical positive reaction. Box 2B - Autistic person knows they can say those words to that one neurotypical in that one context.

I’ve learned a lot recently after asking allistic people on twitter what they truly want to hear from other people when allistic people say “be honest.” Most of them want a very specific “type” of honesty. At least, neurotypical people may consider this honesty.