“Real” Autism

Read Sarah Kurchak on “real” autism.  Where I saw the first irrefutable proof of myself, though, so many others saw a referendum. “But you’re not really autistic,” an acquaintance posited a few weeks later, when I was still testing out how and if to introduce this new explanation for everything into casual conversation. “You can have … Continue Reading“Real” Autism

Pacific Standard: Why American Keeps Criminalizing Disabled Children of Color

I have a longform piece for Pacific Standard today. I’ve been working on it for about 6 weeks. Please read and share throughout your networks, if you are so inclined. TWs for abuse of children by authorities. “Why would a school cop in Florida throw a slender, autistic fourth-grade student to the ground? You might assume … Continue ReadingPacific Standard: Why American Keeps Criminalizing Disabled Children of Color

Dr. Jill Stein – “I’m not aware” of evidence linking vaccines and autism

I will be writing more fully on this elsewhere, but here’s a storify of Dr. Jill Stein’s tweets about autism and vaccines. I was initially very pleased, but have been convinced that “I’m not aware” is still trying to walk the lines between anti-science conspiracy mongers and the rest of the electorate. Worse, Stein allegedly … Continue ReadingDr. Jill Stein – “I’m not aware” of evidence linking vaccines and autism

Autism, Academia, and Why Media Representation Matters

Earlier in the week, Scott Weingart had a brave, essay on being autistic in academic, published in Inside Higher Education. Admitting mental illness or neurodevelopmental disorder is dangerous, unless you’re a middle-class white man diagnosed on the autism spectrum. If you’re black and/or a woman, or if you have depression or anxiety, you may be … Continue ReadingAutism, Academia, and Why Media Representation Matters

Jessica Wright’s “Missing Generation of Autistics”

As I (and many people smarter than me) frequently say – there is no autism epidemic. Rates are increasing largely, perhaps solely, due to changing how we diagnose autism. Now Jessica Wright, for Spectrum (and republished by The Atlantic), has written an enormously important piece on the “missing generation” of autistic individuals. Last year, Scott Hartman moved … Continue ReadingJessica Wright’s “Missing Generation of Autistics”