Actually Autistic Educator

Language is important and can influence our perspectives of people. Many trainings in recent decades have focused on what is termed “person-first” language, where you say “person with x” instead of “x person.” For some diagnoses this is the preferred term, but in the autism community there is a strong preference for “identity first” language - I am autistic, not a person with autism, because my autism is an inherent part of who I am. We also look at other terms and the use of euphemisms such as “special needs,” and do a brief feature on another famous autistic in popular culture, Tee Williams, writer for DC comics.

Full transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1scLboj1S7pyqgl6VMSzBgg5MfomFaRbY4LPXJzu8vic/edit?usp=sharing

This week a new project was announced in the UK called Spectrum 10k, with the goal to collect the DNA of 10,000 autistics for various research purposes. It is supported by several big names in autism research, but numerous autistics have raised serious concerns regarding the use of genetic testing to eliminate or cure autism, as well as regarding several of the researchers and groups associated with the project. This has resulted with #ActuallyAutistic and #StopSpectrum10k going viral as the autistic community has pushed back against this internationally. This episode details many of the concerns raised by autistics regarding the research and people involved, as well as looking into the history of eugenics against the disabled in the last century and currently occurring even today. Finally we look at some ways to avoid these outcomes by creating more inclusive research teams and being willing to examine privilege and power dynamics present in academia.

Content warnings for eugenics, Nazis, offensive/dated labels, and general mistreatment of autistics.

Transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n1Z-otb6420Bx9CV3N6YhZW6qbJHqqNARcLAT5jr6Zk/edit?usp=sharing

As a break from some of our heavier topics around ableism and the trauma autistics face, in this mini episode Jeanne (she/her) highlights some famous autistic actors, writers, and athletes (and a few wonderful autistic advocates who might not be famous but should be) to remind us that there are always autistic professionals in any field if you’re willing to find us. We then discuss the importance of including autistic voices for autistic-focused projects, from media to professional development trainings.

Full transcript available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FqsgMWAcBaPQH8IlVGj5GXSq4vJk1-thZG27L8f5Wnk/edit?usp=sharing

In part 2 of a 3-part set on autistic communication, Jeanne (she/her) discusses autistic masking and how it impacts autistic communication and presentation, including the consequences pressure to mask can have on autistics, looking at studies showing a concerning relationship between autistic masking and suicide, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Jeanne is joined by fellow teacher Dora (she/her) and previous guest Amanda (she/her) as they share their personal relationships and experiences with masking as autistics.

Transcription, provided by InterACTT, at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CufpP1zWSJWlf2udU9K0Cr93ac-Gt4A-/view?usp=sharing

In this mini-episode, Jeanne (she/her) talks about how splitting autistics between “low” and “high” functioning does immense harm, and how such labels and others are used to justify abuse as seen in both the Free Britney and Stop the Shock movements in response to current cases in disability rights in the US. These functioning labels over-simplify an autistic person’s capabilities and limitations, leading to assumptions about support needs that lead to some autistics losing all personal rights due to only minor communication struggles or lack of body control, while leaving other autistics struggling with limited or no accommodations because of assumptions around their “functioning” level. 

Content warning for descriptions of both physical abuse and Nazi eugenics, warnings and times to skip are noted mid-episode. 

Transcript available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zD38qP8aSqps3TbH5NFFRHGCjePS7YBJikKzoJXR9CU/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode Jeanne (she/her) speaks with Morgan Leander Blake (they/them) for the first episode as part of a larger discussion about autistic communication. Autistic communication has historically been seen as deficient/lesser, but recent studies that look at information transfer have found that autistics are often just as capable at effective communication with each other as non-autistics, we simply use language differently. Likewise other studies are finding that bias by non-autistics can be a major contributor to social disconnects between autistics and non-autistics. By studying autistic communication techniques directly, rather than only in contrast to non-autistic communication techniques and assuming any differences must be deficiencies, we can better understand autistic communication and the unique strengths it can have. 

Transcript, provided by InterACTT, at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5J8-BzvdAu7LnIXKy5STAsJz9CWi2ONKzaDUU6orII/edit?usp=sharing

In this mini-episode Jeanne explains how the prevailing narrative of autism viewed exclusively as a deficit causes immense harm to autistics by vilifying their behaviors and ways of thinking and the infantilization autistic adults, which encourages abuse (both intentional and unintentional) by caretakers and support professionals, and causes depression, anxiety, and self-loathing in autistics who internalize this hatred of their autism.

Transcript available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oP1J0S4MbSp84i_wtIsEhwm48u7tMLHJfXkZeJ-BQjU/edit?usp=sharing or on Twitter or Facebook at Actually Autistic Educator.

For this first episode Jeanne (she/her) speaks with with three other autistic individuals, Gigi (she/her), Morgan (they/them), and Amanda (she/her), regarding how the historic focus on white boys/men in research of the autism spectrum has missed large sections of the autistic population, created inaccurate diagnostic criteria, and harmed those who fall outside of this narrow stereotype. We also talk about the importance of including diverse autistic voices in discussions & research about autism to get a more accurate understanding about autism, and give suggestions for ways people can learn more about actual autistic experiences. 

Full transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y7IC8jOHqjKUF4DgFXPa58zMrnDG0_pq8R_lDq0x1Eg/edit?usp=sharing

This is a short introduction to Actually Autistic Educator - a podcast sharing autistic perspectives combined with current research to teach about Autism. Designed primarily for those in education and mental/physical healthcare to improve your understanding of ASD by learning from #ActuallyAutistics. Hosted by Jeanne Clifton, an autistic adult with more than a decade of experience in education.