Author Archives: OutsideTheBoxHelen

Intersectionality: ableism/racism

For people dealing with the intersectionality of ableism and racism we face layers of barriers. Often invisible to both ourselves and others, these isms are hidden in the decisions of gatekeepers within institutions and organisations. How does this come to be? Decisions which are made every day in small incremental ways – like tiny raindropsContinue reading “Intersectionality: ableism/racism”

Words matter: choose them carefully

The words society uses to describe neurodiverse people tells a story. These words are written on reports, they are splashed across posters and they are said out loud. Words perpetuate myths and paint a picture for everyone to see. Society cannot expect to use negative language to describe individuals and not consider the impact wordsContinue reading “Words matter: choose them carefully”

Ethnic minorities – autism and ADHD

Throughout my life my ethnicity has masked my autism and ADHD. When I was young my inability to fit in was attributed to the fact that I grew up in a predominantly white area, my difficulties in sports were deemed to be due to me being of small Indian build (when in actuality I wasContinue reading “Ethnic minorities – autism and ADHD”

Holiday News (outside the box style)

This blog post was inspired by a tweet from @LauraMcConnell about how teachers need to do things differently this September – we should probably not be asking children about their ‘holiday news’. Yes some children have experienced beaches and time with family but many children have been unable to visit their grandparents or family members,Continue reading “Holiday News (outside the box style)”

Positive environments for outside the box children

Alongside all the positive aspects of being autistic there are also many struggles and I am often struck by the lack of support afforded to parents and individuals in our society when it comes to autistic struggles. This is not to say people are not trying to understand it is just they cannot possibly understandContinue reading “Positive environments for outside the box children”