I speak about autism not for autism.

Do you ever find yourself on one side of a debate that shouldn’t exist? 

I have never claimed to speak on behalf of autistic people. After 30 years of working with autistic people, I do have some experience and useful knowledge to share.

To be off-handedly dismissed for this and to be seen as having no value, because I am not autistic, is insulting because it’s simply wrong. 

If someone has an autism diagnosis, they are obviously experts in themselves and their autism and have an advantage in understanding autism in others. However, I have seen a growing trend to always defer to the ‘lived-experience’ without question. 

As someone with a neurotypical brain, I do not assume that all autistic people think the same. I also recognise that most neurotypical brains will think differently to me. 

Sometimes my brains ability to understand an autistic individual will be closer than another autistic person’s ability just because they are a similar neurotype.

This is the concept I describe in my model of the ‘Neuro-divide’.

(I will be developing a short presentation on this in the coming weeks)

What do you think? Anything to add?

Tell me here.