Category: Blog

  • Autistic Burnout: What is it, and why does it happen?

    Autistic Burnout: What is it, and why does it happen?

    Autistic burnout is a heightened state of stress, affecting energy, emotions, and sensory management. It’s often triggered by social and work-related factors, leading to emotional dysregulation, sensory overload, and brain fog. This can result in a sense of isolation, frustration, and an overwhelming feeling of responsibilities without the energy to address them.

  • The importance of Autistic-led training and research

    The importance of Autistic-led training and research

    The struggle for Autistic trainers is common as non-Autistic individuals often take precedence. Organizations claim to support #AutismAwareness but refuse to pay Autistic individuals for their expertise. Even those who include Autistic co-creators may overlook their lived experience. The focus must shift to including Autistic individuals in leadership and fairly compensating them.

  • Interview with TransActual for Autism Acceptance Month

    Interview with TransActual for Autism Acceptance Month

    What assumptions do you wish people would stop making about Autistic people? There are so many! I think from a trans and wider LGBTQIA+ perspective is that we can understand ourselves and what we need and want from our relationships, and what we need and want from our body, and how we want to show…

  • No, Joe Wicks, ADHD isn’t a dietary issue

    No, Joe Wicks, ADHD isn’t a dietary issue

    Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, has recently suggested (on a BBC podcast) that the “surge” in childhood ADHD diagnoses is linked to poor diet. He shared:  “Looking back now, there’s no doubt the food I was eating was directly linked to my behaviour. I was never diagnosed with ADHD, but I think nowadays it’s…

  • School toilets under lock and key

    School toilets under lock and key

    ‘Cages’ have been installed at Foxford Community School, Coventry, to stop students from going to the toilet. Pupils are now unable to use the toilet during lessons and can only make a bathroom trip if supervised. Children aged 10-16 years old have to ask permission to go to the bathroom and go supervised. We all…

  • UK university ethics applications – a neurodivergent nightmare?

    UK university ethics applications – a neurodivergent nightmare?

    Policies within UK universities outline that research undertaken therein requires ethical review, however the process of obtaining favourable opinion can be inaccessible to Autistic ADHD students due to ableism within Higher Education. I wanted to know whether I was the only Autistic and ADHD / Attention Hyperactive person who really struggled with my degree ethics…

  • LGBTQIA+ and Autistic: Community and belonging

    LGBTQIA+ and Autistic: Community and belonging

    This article, originally from Autistic Revolution magazine, addresses the intersection of LGBTQIA+ and Autistic identities. The author explains their personal connection to both spectrums and discusses the challenges faced, including discrimination in LGBTQIA+ and Autistic spaces. They emphasize the importance of creating inclusive spaces and embracing diverse identities.

  • Shedding my labels

    Shedding my labels

    The author reflects on their journey to understanding their neurodivergent identity and the impact of labels and diagnoses on their sense of self. They express frustration with how others perceive and react to their labels and seek connection beyond their specific identities. They acknowledge the importance of labels in some contexts but strive to move…

  • The ARC is at it again

    The ARC is at it again

    CW: suicide, ableism, Simon Baron-Cohen Another study suggested by Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre (ARC) has been paused. The new study by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen planned to read and pick apart the diaries of CSL*, a young Autistic girl who killed herself. The intention was that researchers could use her diaries to improve their understanding of…

  • Wonderfully Weird

    Wonderfully Weird

    I never seem to blend into a crowd, I always stick out like a ‘sore thumb’. I wear bright baggy clothing, a mish-mash of wrestling t-shirts, hippy clothing and the occasional brightly coloured trinket. I have short hair and long nails and I wear cropped trousers and shorts all year round. Before I started driving…