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For Autistics, by Autistics
For Autistics, by Autistics
Favourite Quotes:
Favourite Quotes:
Fav book
Fav book
Recommended for:
Recommended for:
Autistic teens/adults
Anyone who knows/works with autistic teens/adults
Why I like this work:
Why I like this work:
This book is an amazing resource for anyone trying to understand Autism from multiple perspectives: neurodevelopmental, psychological, clinical, social, and personal.
Devon also includes practical advice & worksheets for Autistic readers, all of which I found helpful. :)
Why I like this expert:
Why I like this expert:
Devon is the person I have unquestionably learned the most from* about: autism, unmasking, accepting myself and others & general allyship. I first encountered him through Instagram
*Devon is obviously brilliant, but likely has been such an invaluable teacher for me personally because we share many things in common, like being:
Autistic (& undiagnosed until adulthood)
white
queer (Devon is trans; I am bisexual)
poor kids from poor/rural areas who were "smart"
meaning we did well in school/university (achieved "higher" education than any previous family members)
leading to financial/job security & a rise in "social class" compared to our parents/families
educators with graduate work, teaching experience & research in our respective fields
Devon has a PhD & is a social psychology professor and researcher; I am currently a high school math & science teacher who is completing my MEd.
Other books I love by Autistic authors...
Other books I love by Autistic authors...
Fav convo
Fav convo
Recommended for:
Recommended for:
Autistic adults
especially those with trauma histories
Educators
White Autistics like myself (or White peeps who work with people on spectrum) who need to learn more about how intersectionality affects others in our community
Why I like this work:
Why I like this work:
Ericka & Tarika's experiences in school and work feel so similar to mine in so many ways that despite our differences (I am white, and did not experience the same kinds of childhood abuse/trauma they both did), this is the single resource I have connected with most strongly on a personal level. This conversation makes me feel seen & understood and is full of so many "omg, YES!" moments that make me feel less alone, even as it highlights the difficulties specific to Black AFAB (assigned female at birth) neurodivergent community.
Why I like these experts:
Why I like these experts:
Ericka Gail, (@mentalhealthfemme) M.S.ED.
a trauma-focused mental health therapist resident
Tarika Powell, (@tarikapowell)
an environmental policy & mental health advocate & writer.
Ericka and Tarika are both similarly "high-achieving" academically and professionally, as I have been. They both experienced intense pressure to mask, and a lack of support & accommodation that negatively affected their mental health and wellness as both children and adults, as I have.
They are both queer, and are brilliant educators; I learn so much from their Instagram accounts!
Other convos I love by Autistic creators/educators...
Other convos I love by Autistic creators/educators...
Beth Recommends
Beth Recommends
These are resources I have created to share things I have personally found helpful as an Autistic teacher & student.
Allies in Action
Allies in Action
These are resources I like & have found helpful that have been created by allies of the Autistic community.
Fav book:
Fav book:
Recommended for:
Recommended for:
Autistic teens/adults
Family members of Autistics
Anyone who knows/works with autistic teens/adults
Why I like this work:
Why I like this work:
When I think of an ideal "expert ally", I think Barry and this book. The two main things I found most helpful were:
His focus on asking why when somebody on spectrum does something you don't understand.
The analogy he makes of Autism being like having a different first language for social interactions (which I elaborate on in this blog post).
Why I like this expert:
Why I like this expert:
Barry Prizant is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has spent his entire clinical and research career working with people with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Acknowledging that there is no such thing as "perfect" when it comes to allyship, it is abundantly clear that Barry respects the intelligence, expertise & abilities of people on spectrum with and without intellectual disability (ID).
Fav tv show - scripted
Fav tv show - scripted
Recommended for:
Recommended for:
Autistic teens/adults
Family members of Autistics
Anyone who knows/works with autistic teens/adults
Why I like this work:
Why I like this work:
I saw myself represented in this show in ways I never had before, and that felt very significant. I also felt Autism (and neurodivergence more generally) was normalized on this show in the same kind of way that Schitt's Creek made me feel as a queer person.
I also really appreciated how this show dealt with sexuality and relationships for young people.
Criticisms of this work:
Criticisms of this work:
This show has been rightfully criticized for casting a non-Autistic actor to play the main Autistic character of Sam, as well as for its lack of racial and socio-economic diversity. A thoughtful piece written on these criticisms by Autistic author Sarah Kurchak for Time can be found here.
Fav tv show - unscripted
Fav tv show - unscripted
Recommended for:
Recommended for:
Autistic teens/adults
Family members of Autistics
Anyone who knows/works with autistic teens/adults
Why I like this work:
Why I like this work:
It feels good to see so many other people on spectrum, especially in the diversity of traits you can see in the cast. Representation matters, and as an Autistic that has lived in very small communities for most of my life, I loved "getting to know"/observe so many different people whose brains work more similarly to mine than most people I encounter in my daily life.
I also really appreciated how this show dealt with sexuality and relationships, and highlighted some of the communication and dating struggles that can make people on spectrum feel very isolated/lonely. I married my high school sweetheart (we were in the same class since we were 7 years old), and often say that I can not imagine how I could have possibly navigated the dating world I saw most of my friends experience.
Criticisms of this work:
Criticisms of this work:
Some Autistic people feel this show infantilizes its subjects. Most cast members are also white and middle class.
References
References
Letters and Politics. (2022, April 14). On Autism [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaK8b87myKg
Cook, B., & Purkis, Y. (2022). The autism and neurodiversity self-advocacy handbook : developing the skills to determine your own future. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Gail, E. [@mentalhealthfemme]. (2021, July 11). Growing up Black & ND CW: discussions of trauma, abuse, bullying In this talk, @tarikapowell and I talk about our experiences of growing up Neurodivergent without having a formal diagnosis and/or the necessary support/accommodations. We talk about how this all happens at the intersections of our childhood trauma, Blackness, and queerness, the ways we had to mask as survival, how we allow ourselves to be who we are now, and what things we think would be helpful in getting early recognition for other Black AFAB folks. Thank you all so much for hanging out with us, your comments, letting us know you feel validated, and be on the lookout for a part two because we did not even cover everything we wanted to, that’s just how deep and rich this conversation goes! Fingers crossed IG puts automated captions on [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMlBN4que7/?hl=en
Garcia, E. (2021). We’re not broken : changing the autism conversation. HarperCollins.
Grandin, T. (2006). Thinking In Pictures: And Other Reports From My Life With Autism. New York Vintage.
Higashida, N., Yoshida, K., & Mitchell, D. (2016). The reason I jump : the inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism. Random House.
Netflix. (2020, July 7). Love on the Spectrum | Official Trailer | Netflix [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-QbcXyZug
Netflix. (2019, October 17). Atypical Season 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix [VIdeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSbF25mXDyM
Prahlad, A. (2017). The secret life of a Black Aspie : a memoir. University Of Alaska Press.
Price, D. (2022). Unmasking autism : discovering the new faces of neurodiversity. Harmony Books.
Prizant, B. M., & Fields-Meyer, T. (2019). Uniquely human : a different way of seeing autism. Souvenir Press.
Silberman, S. (2015). Neurotribes : the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity. Avery.
Skavlan. (2019, October 28). Hannah Gadsby on getting diagnosed with autism: – It really made a lot of sense | SVT/TV 2/Skavlan [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaT__mzkHbA
TEDx Talks. (2020, January 2). Why Autistic Unemployment Is So High | Claire Barnett | TEDxVanderbiltUniversity [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVZu557_k04
The Song of Ontario. (2019, August 17). An Interview with River Christie-White | Six Nations Pow Wow 2019 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oldsdMsmp7o
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