Zen Master* Bear** Speaks***

Executive summary:  The Guardian persistently presents a medicalised pathology view of Autism which is inconsistent with the concept of the Human Rights of Autistic people. This is giving voice to the powerful, and silencing the powerless.  I do not think you will be able to find any arguments in favour of this approach which do not have uncomfortable resonance with the…

I recently shared Dr. Nick Walker’s excellent guide  to the terminology around Neurodiversity and Nurodivergence with my team at Heading for Change. I almost immediately got the feedback that the piece was very academic and dense. So I have put together a simplified version of the guide for a broader audience. My own understanding of the correct terminology has been evolving,…

I was recently attacked while I was at home, at least that’s how it felt to me. The challenging thing is that the attack came from friends, and they were all having a good time. My wife had invited a bunch of people, all of whom should know that I am Autistic, over for a brunch. Almost none of these people…

I have recently had opportunities to have conversations with a wide range of people, from experts in workforce development, to academics driving the conversation around diversity and inclusion, to fellow neurodivergents. These conversations have revealed that it is quite hard to find people who are familiar with a key concept in understanding, educating, and working with, neurodivergent people. This is the…

The Symmetry of Communication ‘Deficits’ between Autistic and Non-Autistic People ‘Everyone Knows’ that Autistic people have a ‘deficit’ in social communication. Which would be really useful knowledge if it were not, at best, half the truth. The reality is that non-Autistic people are equally bad, if not worse, at understanding Autistic communication. This framing is a result of the conversation around…