#AskingAutistics, how much sleep do you need? How much do you get? Do you ever feel refreshed? Do you share the bed with someone? Does it work for you?

#ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF

"Ghosting My Self" With a bit of time distortion...it's a selfie.

But No One's behind the camera.

For upcoming #AutisticAF podcast/video, "Being Not There: Strange Ghosting My Badass Autistic Self"

@actuallyautistic @actuallyadhd #ActuallyAutistic #AuDHD #AutisticAdults #AutismAcceptanceMonth

"My Remarks for UN World Autism Awareness Day"

Now for #Medium readers...

@actuallyautistic @actuallyadhd #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAdults #Autism #ADHD #AutisticArtist #AutisticAF #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity
https://link.medium.com/76d8Fo2oEyb

"My Remarks for UN World Autism Awareness Day"

Now for #Medium readers...

#ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAdults #Autism #ADHD #AutisticArtist #AutisticAF #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity
https://link.medium.com/76d8Fo2oEyb

“Does Being Black Come Before Being Autistic?”

I can’t speak to that, of course, it does make one wonder. What am I first? Gay? Parent? Autistic? Nerd? Kinky? Smartass? Other identities or interests?

Personally, I think these layers all affect my identity and experience simultaneously. Sometimes I may inhabit one more than the others, but eventually I can’t isolate them.

#ActuallyAutistic #ParentingWhileAutistic #LGBTQ #AutisticAF @actuallyautistic

https://pca.st/episode/8a79cdc4-5c45-4e0e-8557-9b2f72d6e4aa

Today is annual IEP meeting. Read the report. The usual bag of issues and contextual omissions. I’ve already been writing my parent note and my list of questions. I’m sure lawyer will have sone of their own. Always a bit anxious about there but prepared.

Today is also school talent show! I’m impressed son chose to participate, and will be there to supirt him. I avoided these as a kid.

#ActuallyAutistic #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticParenting #AutisticAF

I dropped out of a couple of school district #SPED #advocacy groups. I was just too overwhelmed. Burned out. But this sucks. I want to be there to advocate. But I don’t want burn out. Is there a way to do that? I’m torn.

I’m hesitant to commit because I fear burnout. But I want to represent. Is this just dumb? I’m not sure. So I’m asking, honestly.

#ActuallyAutistic #burnout #AutisticAF

TFW you realise that the reason why you feel overwhelmed by your employer wanting you to "develop" by going outside of your comfort zone is that you are out of your comfort zone 100% of the time already.

#ActuallyAutistc #ActuallyAutisticAtWork #AutisticAF

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If so, please consider leaving a tip at https://ko-fi.com/autisticaf.

Every little bit helps me keep sharing my #AutisticJoy with you.

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#AutisticAdults #ADHD #AskingAutistics @actuallyautistic @actuallyadhd

This sounds like it could really put districts on notice, when we have glaring signals that students aren’t being served fully.

“Special education clash: Supreme Court sides unanimously for student with disability” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/21/supreme-court-schools-student-special-education-clash-perez/11513696002/

#ActuallyAutistic #IDEA #ADA #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticAF #AutisticParenting @actuallyautistic

@johnnyprofane1 Thank you. I know I certainly appreciate it when you do! I don’t really think I have any sort of audience. But my brand of being out is mostly just to be and to share. I may never know for sure if it makes a difference but I’ll do whatever I can.

As in a different thread about #unmasking/ #ComingOut, we all have very different environments, safety levels, etc that lead us to conceal to be safe. I respect that. I just can’t live there any more. #AutisticAF #ActuallyAutistic

@MistyMelanie @JudeNunga @obrerx @adelinej This is always a risk, and it’s why coming out, whatever the marginalization might be, is still as drought and dangerous and scary as ever.

I half joke thst each time I’ve had to come out as something new, it seems to get a little easier. But really it gets easier because I’ve come to underarms show crucial it is to BE VISIBLE and HEARD. #ActUP was absolutely correct. #SilenceEqualsDeath @actuallyautistic #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF

@johnnyprofane1 both as a pre-teen and an adult after college, I found #coding and the world of self-exploration it offered was a huge source of #joy, #content, and yes #escape. It was easy to think I was a #workaholic. And I was. But that wasn’t WHY.

I still enjoy it and can literally lose hours in it, for a good cause. But now I try to find other ways to do #SelfCare, too. #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF

Examples of “unsafe” behavior without any context for why son was triggered, discussion and suppprt for “safer” patterns, etc. I’ve begun really pushing back on these. In one case the behavior was triggered when an adult raised their voice and he was scared.

So we practiced this statement to use when this happens again. “I feel unsafe. X made me feel Y when they Z.” Use their vernacular on them.

#ActuallyAutistic #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticParenting @actuallyautistic #AutisticAF

Been seeking community and connection. I’m emerging from a dark period of the last few months, triggered by setbacks for my son at school. We’re on an upswing and better path now. I hope that it isn’t disrupted. I need it not to be. I’m learning that I need to #unmask more with school staff and clearly communicate the harm this BS causes. It’s too easy for them to gloss over and ignore. I simply won’t weather it any more. #ActuallyAutistic #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticAF #AutisticParenting

@johnnyprofane1

My experience has been different but stages, yes. 1 was awareness from experience with son’s DX. Becoming aware we were alike. That we’d all missed the cause for decades. 2 has been trying to connect behavior to DX and disentangle my shame. I oscillate between this and 3 shutdown. It’s tough. It may go a while. Not sure what 4-6 will be.

I think I need a guide.

@actuallyautistic #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticParenting

@actuallyautistic Well I got a reply from school today. Director reports that staff have met, and will be taking better care to better contextualize and avoid #pathologizing my son’s behavior. Promise made. Promise kept? Time will tell.

His 1:1 started yesterday. Observing for low but will probably start working with him next week. 🤞🤞🙏

#ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticParenting

For those of you interested, this is the letter I sent to son’s school about how their #communication belies their actions and triggers major #anxiety, with names obscured. @actuallyautistic #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF #ABA #PBT #ParentingWhileAutistic #AutisticBurnout #AutisticParenting #unmasking #SelfAdvocate

O M G Must watch Big Mouth now https://youtu.be/wkUfj7WvXpg #NowTheKnow #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF @actuallyautistic

O M G Must watch Big Mouth now https://youtu.be/wkUfj7WvXpg #NowTheKnow #ActuallyAutistic #AutisticAF