Autastic.com and our thousands-strong online communities grew from my own discovery, at 42, that I am autistic. 2E, to be exact, which means that while I am indeed “gifted and talented” (story analysis is my jam in case you hadn’t heard), disability is also part of my daily life. In my case, invisibly. Like so many, I stumbled upon this revelation entirely accidentally and, for the first time in my life, everything made sense.
Though I was lucky enough to have found answers, there are countless adults struggling through life who may never get the chance to know who they are. They’ve been explained away as quirky or temperamental, particular or aloof. Because they don’t fit the narrowly defined and exclusionary stereotype, they may never identify their own differences, fully understand their own needs, nor find the support and community they need to live their best lives.
Autistic people are absolutely everywhere, in every community and every occupation. We are the innovators, the visionaries, the analysts, and the reliable get-er-done-ers. We are hiding in plain sight, even from ourselves. I have committed to use my knowledge, experience, and voice in support of the hidden autistic community.
Join me in the quest for visibility, acceptance for neurodiversity (I’m looking at you ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and others), for gender equality, LGBTQIA rights, racial equality, and disability rights. Start by following me everywhere @WeAreAutastic.
#Intersectionality #RepresentationMatters
