Reach out to someone you know this World Autism Acceptance Week
Tuesday 2 April 2024 (Autism Awareness Day) marks the start of World Autism Acceptance Week, which runs until 8 April. Raising awareness of what Autism is and, importantly, what it isn’t is an admirable pursuit in itself. But for the people out there who may…
25 unmasking tips to help Autistic people remove the mask
Almost a year since I discovered that I’m Autistic, I realise that most people really don’t care. Some in a good way. They accept me for who I am and have even said that learning that I’m Autistic didn’t come as a major surprise to…
What to consider when embarking on an Autism diagnosis
When I was 20, a long time ago now!, I went to my GP feeling sick, with symptoms that included a sore throat, fever, a stuffy nose, and headaches. He quickly diagnosed me with a throat infection and prescribed a course of antibiotics. More than…
What is Autistic masking and why do we do it?
I used to think I knew myself well – but now I’m not so sure. That’s because, since my Autism diagnosis, I don’t always know where ‘Autistic Glenn’ and ‘masking Glenn’ begin and end. Reality itself is something I’m constantly questioning. And the more I…
Sorry I ghosted you: an Autism relationship tale
This post doubles as an apology. One I feel I need to offer after researching ‘ghosting’ and its effects on the person left behind. In my case, I’m referring to the people in the various friendships that were, at the time, typically thriving. And still,…
Looking to the past in my battle against Autistic burnout
This might sound like a strange one. But after living my entire 52 years not knowing that I’m Autistic (to this point at least – hopefully there’s a bit more living to come!), I have created an affirmation to help remind me who I (really)…
You said you’re what now?
What autism is (and isn’t), why I’m disclosing with such abandon, and why nobody knew I was autistic in the first place Towards the end of 2022 I went into hiding. I took sick leave from work, I set my LinkedIn account to hibernation (I…
Merry Autistic Christmas: I’m not Scrooge – this is something else entirely
Last week, we received in the letterbox an invitation to a Christmas street party, and immediately my heart quickened. My thoughts (paraphrased here for brevity) as I expressed them to my wife when she presented me the tiny slip of paper: It isn’t that I…
Bush turkey 1 – Autistic man 0
The Australian brush turkey, or bush turkey, or scrub turkey is not a beautiful bird. But, as I have learnt recently, it possesses many other qualities that demand one sits up and takes notice. They are industrious: at the start of spring the males build…
Autistic burnout 12 months after diagnosis
This blog post is the final in a series of stories I’ve written to coincide with the first-year anniversary of my Autism diagnosis, so it seemed fitting to end where it all began – with Autistic burnout. As I wrote in a story for Reframing…
Why therapy putty is my favourite sensory tool so far
I’m Autistic and I won’t be proving I’m fit to drive
Since the ABC article ‘Autistic drivers could find their licences in legal limbo’ dropped last week, there has been the usual, and understandable, flurry of chatter online and in the media about what this all means for Autistic people who currently, or plan to, drive…