Category Archives: Commentary

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”

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”

What does it mean to be abelist?

If I were to explain what it means to be ableist… it is that difference is often seen as less. Ableism comes about because society has an unwritten rule that the need to enable those in the majority is more important than enabling those in the minority. This creates a hierarchy of those who areContinue reading “What does it mean to be abelist?”