Turtle

Happy to clarify! Ty. The lecture is scientific. The idea that historical occupations may have led to the natural selection for autistic traits is my opinion. I like speculating that fiber arts predates Homo sapiens. Can’t prove it though.

Wow! Beautifully & powerfully said. Audio only podcasts are usually a barrier for me, but I could fully follow what Yeshes said. I’ve read the research article. It’s a good summary.

Not scientific, but I *know* that my brain was made for weaving. I’m no savant, but it is profoundly satisfying

He has been in my thoughts of late. His book shone a bright light on the lived experiences of us older autistics. We are few in number. Suicide, poverty & chronic illness has taken so many of us. Why isn’t anyone else wanting to gather our history? Why doesn’t our collective wisdom matter?

Some balm for our world-weary souls…. 🐢💜

I’ve been campaigning to convince my therapist that he should put aside Asimov & read Hitchhikers instead.

Thank you. I really needed to hear that. I moved from where my peer support work was well known to a place where there is no space or support for people like me. I naively believed I could be a change agent anywhere if only I pushed hard enough. My job now is letting go & accepting.

If asked to share, I absolutely will. Where I live now, feels overrun by ABA. No autistic community can thrive in the face of that. Autistic knowledge is not seen as valuable. Professionals take up all the space. :(

Totally valid. I am puzzled by younger generations’ belief of all emotions must be put online. Can’t see how that leads to healing & coping. Feels like an echo chamber. But I am old- I didn’t grow up with computers/ the Internet. Easy for me to take breaks. Guessing it is much harder for others.

This article really speaks to me and people like me,helps me to stay calm and purposeful.

That researcher from 2008, he was one of those dad-of-autistic-person professors, without any medical background, jumping headfirst into autism research b/c of the sweet, sweet cash....also claimed that cannabis could cure autism.

The "Tylenol causes autism" bs goes back to 2008. It was just as ridiculous back then. It felt like every other week, there was an announcement about what caused autism, along with what would "cure" it. I remember Broadstreet (Wakefield crony) saying tunafish sandwiches caused autism...

Being that I am older, trans+autistic, I was approached several years back by a cis femme social worker who ran a trans+autistic support group for teens as a possible speaker. What topics did I want to talk about? I said, "How to deal with thoughts about death". Never heard from her again.

While Cabaret and the Sound of Music are 2 of my favorite musicals, I’m not liking these reality show versions so much.

You are so welcome! I got this at the fair, which was unreasonable for to me to attempt (though I was well-prepared). I rented a scooter at an unreasonable price, but it allowed me to relax and enjoy the day. I gently remind myself that Unreasonable is different than irrational.

Update. Therapist firmly says “No, we will not be doing that!” to exposure therapy. He’s going to help me switch to a different prescriber. I know it will be a while. Worth the wait. Much reading to do about mast cells.

White Tshirt with airbrushed art created by an artist at the fair. flying turtle swimming among pink clouds and blue sky with the word “unreasonable” above

Gave myself an early birthday present. As most of my access needs fall outside of the narrow ableist definition of reasonable accommodation, ok, fine. I shall simply declare myself unreasonable and keep going.. 🐢 🌈💜♾️♿️ #disability

YouTube video by TEDx Talks How play can heal your nervous system | Jessica Maguire BHSci, MPhysio | TEDxByronBayWomen

You don’t have to wait for his research to learn about the vagus nerve works…. There’s a TEDx talk given by Jessica Maguire. TLDR: Give yourself permission to play.

Today it’s called Floortime. I was 6 years older than my nonspeaking little brother. I was in a caregiving role from age 7-17. professionals for nonspeaking children then didn’t exist. My brother’s sensory diet grew way bigger than mine. He wanted to run, explore, climb, drive…

Still waiting for the NT medical researchers to catch up to autistic folk wisdom. Back before ABA brainwashed everybody, families understood that autistic kids needed to play and connect w/ their imaginations. Many of us are gestalt language processors. Play is where we learn to navigate sensory

My friend Sue, an autistic occupational therapist, was teaching this in the early years of Autreat. She also educated many grateful autistic adults in the Phx area. I was one. She planned to write a book after she retired, but then her husband became ill.

2 wks ago, I asked my new psych prescriber for a very small amt of a low dose benzo to help me w/ anxiety, caregiver burnout, sensory processing & MCAS. I had to *promise* her I would work on exposure therapy w/ my therapist. I thought, “Wtf! Is your BFF ABA? Stop drinking the damn KoolAid”

Before that awful scary day, I was *sure* I’d done enough work. I was so wrong. I keep thinking of the SNL election night sketches. I moved to a blue state, but it’s not enough. I think about how strong BIPOC kids have to be dealing w/ that hate every day…. I resolve to be braver.

I came out 13 yrs ago. I went down to the AZ senate to give testimony on the anti trans bathroom bill. I’d been in the same room in the past as an autism parent & everyone was welcomed. This time, they called us monsters, said we were a danger to children. I was 1 cough away from being arrested.

We fell short of Sinclair's vision because we collectively didn't do enough to promote the growth of local autistic communities. Imagine how much better off we'd be in a world where Sinclair and Mel Baggs and other ND pioneers were financially supported for their groundbreaking advocacy work.

Trans people didn’t ask to get pulled into any of this | Xtra Magazine Charlie Kirk’s murder is the latest event in which trans people have suddenly, inexplicably, become main characters

"Any connection they can draw between us and this act of violence will be used to strip more of our rights, or threaten us more in our homes, our schools and our communities," writes @melwoods.me, on how trans people have been roped into the narrative around Charlie Kirk's death

Thank you. They will always be in our hearts.

It’s nice being a turtle! :)

B & C had COVID. K & I didn’t get it. I made gf pasta w/out xanthan gum. Found a trick where you scald the flour to get elasticity. Fall food plans: roasted root veggies, the usual stews, restarting gf sourdough. House is quiet w/out the doggos.

Anyone with 3 or more marginalized identities is at very high risk. It's always this "game" of what part gets erased/minimized to feed the other parts, so you can survive. Being accepted for all that you are is so rare, so fragile....

Wow. It exists! That's something I've wanted for a long time, but I'd given up. I am very happy for you. 😊