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The Neurodiverse Connections of the Harry Potter World
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books and the film saga have received widespread acclaim from millions of fans around the world, as the magical world of Hogwarts not only captured the imagination of a generation of young readers but has also inspired many activists who found parallels between the...
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How Cybersecurity and Technology Jobs Can Equal Success for Autistic Individuals
Technology has become the backbone of modern society, offering exciting career opportunities for individuals from all walks of life. For autistic individuals, the tech industry presents unique advantages that align with their skills and preferences, creating pathways for meaningful and fulfilling...
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Improving Health Care Communication for Autistic Teens
Effective communication is essential in health care for accurate diagnoses, quality patient care, and positive outcomes (Ratna, 2019). However, communication barriers can significantly impact the health care experience, particularly for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Saqr et al.,...
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The Autistic Special Interest as a Form of Communication
“What is with his obsession with dinosaurs?!?” “She just won’t shut up about Disney movies!” “If these kids would spend half as much time studying as they do playing with Pokémon cards, they’d be a lot better off.” Such are the responses that tend to greet special...
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Painful Conversations: Unconscious Neurodiversity Bias in Higher Education
NOTE: This article is an adaptation of a lecture given at Northeastern University on August 9, 2024. For the full, hour-long video of the presentation, please click here. A shorter version was co-hosted by Vanderbilt University and UCONN on December 13. When I was researching my last book (The...
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Social Communications: An Essential but Often Overlooked Skill for Autistics
Autism has been described, and sometimes defined, as a disorder of communication. This is certainly the case for nonverbal autistics and others who are completely unable to communicate, but it is just as true for those who are articulate and able to express themselves verbally. For them, autism is...
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Yes, We Can Socialize
Throughout my life as an autistic person, I have been fortunate to have experienced great moments where I have been able to socialize with others and gain long-lasting friendships. There were also times when, due to my misunderstanding of certain social situations and the anxiety that comes with...
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The Autistic Guide to Small Talk
Small talk is often declared the bane of existence to those on the spectrum everywhere. An inane social ritual where you’re expected to exchange obvious facts about the weather and be happier for it. But small talk is your foot in the door for communication. If you’re trying to branch out...
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Can Being Denied Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Cause Lifelong Trauma?
Complex trauma happens when someone feels they are trapped and alone in continuing threatening or unsafe circumstances, like child abuse, war, or racism (World Health Organization, 2019). In situations where a person experiences threats every day, changes occur to the part of the nervous system...
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Autistic Lived Experience: To Be Disabled Is to Be Strong!
Not everything is as it seems on the surface. Many things can be looked at in more ways than one. Much of what comprises a person is hidden from plain sight, though it is nonetheless very real and often of great power. Human strength is a prime example. When I attended a 2-week tennis...
