I wrote the following blurb for the Asperger’s/HFA group I’m a part of, Aspirations. Some version of this will be appearing in the December newsletter. Last week, I was able to spend some time at the NATTAP Conference (Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance Programs). On Friday, November 21, I hopped on the #2 [...]
In a previous post, I wrote about the epidemic rhetoric surrounding an Autism Speaks walk hosted at OSU. The walk occurred this past October, and while I expected those affiliated with Autism Speaks (e.g. Bob and Suzanne Wright) to spout off the regular curebie stuff, I didn’t expect the president of my university to join [...]
In my last post, I picked two photos in which I was pretty aspie-looking (or, aspie-looking according to aspie stereotypes). How rhetorical of me. Here’s me being rhetorical again, with another photo, this one less conforming to the typical autistic portrait: Look! I’m SMILING! (gasp — autistics can smile?) And look! I’m with ANOTHER HUMAN [...]
I’ve been wearing eyeglasses since the age of eight. The narrative is a familiar one: I couldn’t see the chalkboard at school, walked into telephone poles, made head contact with dodge balls more often than usual. I remember my first trip to the optometrist, a small balding man with a penchant for incomprehensible soccer truisms, [...]
Who can speak in the autism conversation? This is the question I keep returning to. Frequently, when I suggest that autism doesn’t need a cure — or that many autistics don’t want a cure — I’m greeted with the following retort: “You shouldn’t be cured. You’re high-functioning.” Ah, yes. I’m a high-functioning autistic. As a [...]
