Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation
Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation
There was a year, around a decade and a half ago, in which my friend and I saw live music most weeks. We saw Sia – either on a stage at festivals like Homebake, or in her own solo gigs – around half a dozen times that year. And while it wasn’t a factor worth mentioning, I always assumed she was neurodivergent. Stimming, atypical social interactions (which we all loved), hyperfixations on glow-in-the-dark paint and[…]
Due to the fact that autism and other neurodivergencies are usually portrayed in a negative light, as a failing or concern, little is said of the strengths, the perks… the glimmers. And when strengths are discussed, it’s often those which are positive for society or the neurodivergent person’s family. Problem solving abilities, high IQs, savantism, work ethic, conformity to rules and routines, and information processing abilities. What is rarely discussed is the benefits and magic[…]
When I wrote the headline for this piece, I was angry, exasperated, tired, cranky, triggered. So now I’ve let it breathe I can admit okay, I suppose technically there are autism experts out there. But anyone who likes to generalise about what autistic people are or do are not those people. The number of verging-on-retirement Caucasian cismale hetero paediatricians in Sydney lauded as being experts in this field, who dismiss anything short of school-aged non-verbal[…]
We think of it like a computer game player with an inventory; you pick the right weapon for the right situation. We never allow stims which hurt other people, and we discourage stims that hurt ourselves…
There are countless misunderstandings surrounding neurodivergence, including around behaviours and intentions, especially in children. As a neurodivergent person raising neurodivergent children, I find myself repeatedly engaging in long, heartfelt conversations with parents. Lost parents. Confused parents. Well-intentioned, loving, kind parents who don’t know what to do next. I see undiagnosed kids struggling, and children who have been diagnosed with one neurodivergence whose parents haven’t been informed about possible – even likely! – comorbidities. Parents who[…]
More Than Quirky has been quietly brewing for a while, and I had no intentions of going live with any content for some time yet, but after this weekend’s events it didn’t feel right to stay quiet. If not now, when? This weekend, Meshel Laurie, lashed out – unprovoked – accusing Em Rusciano, of faking that she is autistic. Em had shared on social media that she was interested in utilising the sensory room at[…]
