2019 Presentations

Being autistic, we commonly face difficulties accessing healthcare and often have poor physical & mental health.

During Autscape 2018: Exploring Inclusion, this was investigated by means of a discussion workshop and qualitative survey entitled “What do you wish your doctor knew about autism?” Themes were identified for a subsequent quantitative survey conducted online, which examined barriers to accessing GP services.

This presentation will explore ways to engage effectively with our healthcare providers, and discuss current trends in autism training for medical professionals.

It will also include an overview of the AsIAm Autism Friendly Town initiative in Clonakilty, Ireland, since this study was conducted as part of the healthcare strand of that project.

A stand-up/storytelling performance lecture which intertwines the history of Dr Who, autism and autistic activism and one woman's personal story (and makes connections between them all).

At last there is a female Doctor in Doctor Who – are autism's women also finally being heard?

Passing is a necessary and important part of surviving in a neurotypical world whether in the workplace, school or social settings as well as interacting with systems within society. The processes of passing such as masking, scripting and precognition build models of interaction to facilitate avoiding harm and hiding in plain sight.

At the same time, they can also hinder being in the moment, complicate building lasting connections with others, emotionally connecting with people and leave you constantly drained, feeling lonely and alone. Can we find a balance between using personas, pre-empting every interaction, scripting our way through a day or masking who we want to stay safe from harm and prejudice but also find meaningful connections?

In this session we examine some of the mechanics of passing and how they impair, augment and complicate building friendships, empathy, emotional engagement and enjoyment in day to day life. We also ask what can we do about it and try to unpack if there is a way to find social fulfilment, love, friendship and beat loneliness whilst passing in society.

Autistic people often make intense connections with one another throughout our lives, and this spirit of recognition and community can be so important for so many of us. However, it can also cause difficulties when this recognition is not properly understood, when individuals are otherwise very isolated, or when it intersects with other identities that are underrepresented in the autistic community (such as race, other disabilities, gender, etc).

Illustrated with drawings and anecdotes from my own and others' experiences, and from emerging research into the 'double empathy problem', I will explore both the importance of these intense connections, their pitfalls, how to support those searching for belonging, and what the autistic community could do to better embrace those with other intersecting identities.

This workshop introduces an ongoing project, called Stability in Peer Support, run by Autistic Spectrum Finland, a national association led by autistic adults.

The project aims to support and improve the association’s peer groups and activities and support peer group leaders.

The project started in 2018. The project workers have conducted a survey, group discussions and observation to map why people in Autistic Spectrum Finland attend groups, what types of groups and activities they want, what challenges they face, what kind of support the peer group leaders need, and how to react to problems that may arise.

The introduction will be followed by a discussion on these themes.

Autistic people report a range of difficulties with starting and stopping activities which are often informally called ‘inertia’. Considering how common these problems are, and how much of an impediment they can be to independent functioning, there has been nowhere near enough attention from researchers and clinicians. For the most part, they see these difficulties as 'non-compliance' or 'lacking (social) motivation' and go about trying to fix them.

I believe 'inertia', like autism itself, is actually a number of different underlying issues that overlap and end up sharing characteristics on the surface. In this workshop I will share some of what I think is causing inertia, because understanding these starting points can help find ways to overcome the difficulties. I will also share the many anti-inertia strategies I have developed and collected over the years. There will be an opportunity for the audience to share and discuss their own approaches.

The session will examine the widespread assumption that ‘connection’ is worth pursuing. The impetus is to forge & foster connections. Behind the connections are power relationships. Sometimes transparent, sometimes not. This is a philosophical discussion.

Personal experiences in the workplace and elsewhere will kick-start a wider dialogue with participants.

What is the agenda behind any connection and who benefits?

Are some connections simply not worth making?

Subversion or disruption of some of these connections may be of more benefit to autistic individuals or groups than connection itself?

Connection = communication = identity. Discuss. These concepts apply to all human experience as well as autistic experience. The challenge of making connections is part of our autistic identity. I would suggest that this is universal.