“Just Let Me Try”: Autistic Self-Advocates Redefine Independence

• By: Jamie Arnold MSEd, SBL Eden II Programs
• January 5th, 2026
• adulthood, autonomy, external barriers, independence, self-advocacy, self-determination, supportive relationships, Winter 2026 Issue
• 74    0

For decades, conversations about autism and adulthood have been centered on building independence through goals, interventions, and structured curricula (Bouck & Joshi, 2015). Yet when autistic self-advocates describe independence, they do not speak in terms of compliance, readiness checklists,...

Living at Home as an Autistic Adult: When Society Confuses Support with Failure

• By: Cory Morrison Freelance Writer
• July 9th, 2025
• actuallyautistic, adulthood, advocacy, independent living, neurodiversity, self-advocacy, stigma, Summer 2025 Issue, support
• 2533    0

While many neurotypical adults move away from home at some point in their 20s, many autistic adults like me may live at home well into their later adult years (Marsack-Topolewski et al., 2021). This isn’t because we’re failing but rather because we need more time to reach our various milestones...