Can we talk about the inherently ableist nature of "respite care?" I'm of course not referring to substitute carers for those who need 24/7 skilled care. I mean the programs for disabled teens/adults that are only offered in a model of all-day or several-day dropoff "because it's also respite." 1/

Fellow people who do inclusion trainings: Please emphasize that you don't wait to be inclusive until after someone has corrected your incorrect assumptions. If you've been corrected, you've done harm. 1/

many studies discuss how Autistic people often have a different affect, facial expression, body movements as compared to peers. Here’s one: “autistic people demonstrate divergent facial emotional expressivity that relates to the less favorable impressions they receive from non-autistic observers”

Still banging my head against the wall with taking Masshealth/connector, but have some slots available for consults, letters, etc. for kids and adults with employer-sponsored insurance.

This is helpful to make the case but I've grown wary of how transgender people's rights specifically are primarily defended from the standpoint of pathology. KOSA and bills like it are bad because they threaten to deny us our freedom of speech, full stop.

"There is no 'autism epidemic.' Autism is a developmental difference that has existed as long as human beings have." -ASAN executive director @colinkillick.bsky.social. Spread the word: Tylenol does not cause autism. But reproduction sure does! www.usatoday.com/story/opinio... #neurodiversity

“Being both Black and autistic means constantly navigating systems that weren’t built for you, all while the world debates your humanity on cable news.” By @ayannasanaa.bsky.social: open.substack.com/pub/phenomen... #AutisticWhileBlack #autism #autistic

Can we talk about the inherently ableist nature of "respite care?" I'm of course not referring to substitute carers for those who need 24/7 skilled care. I mean the programs for disabled teens/adults that are only offered in a model of all-day or several-day dropoff "because it's also respite." 1/

Teen group is full/overloaded/waitlist for next time. Tween group is now able to run and can take one or two more kids.

Teen group is mostly full; can probably take one more. Tween group needs at least one more person to run.

Teen group has mostly filled, tween group is still looking for players. Can slide cost as low as anyone needs me to.

This is succinct, clearly spelled out, and neurodivergent-friendly. I needed this the other day when I was explaining the CDC list and vaccine website to my 18-24 LGBTQ adulting group. (Going to email it to them now…)

These groups are up and running once again. We have a couple of wonderful queer neurodivergent young people excited to run campaigns they have created. Please feel free to share in your spaces in order to ensure we have enough people to play. blog.erikashira.com/2025/09/lgbt...

Curious whether any of my family policing research/policy folks have done anything looking at reporting policies of research studies. Just spoke with someone from a very impressive and much-needed study around training healthcare providers to be competent with trans kids. 1/

Intersex people have always existed. How they first started to find each other, build community and forge a movement against medical erasure is a story that’s mostly gone untold. A new book aims to change that.

>60% of adult-diagnosed Autistic people reported having suicidal ideation non-autistic adults reported rates of 4.8% for SI & 0.7% for suicidal attempts Therefore, data suggests that autistic adults are 25x more likely to make a suicide attempt than non-autistic adults TWENTY-FIVE TIMES! #AutRes

The whole trans girls in sports discussion is absolutely being used to propagandize people into being transphobic bellends. In K-12, the number of trans girls in sports is five. In college the number is fewer than ten, according to the NCAA President. You're being manipulated. Please stop.

Trans kids' rights aren't "complicated." They're not "nuanced." Protect trans kids, unconditionally. Full stop.

Standing up for the smallest of minorities is important because when you accept the premise that one group are expendable because small or ‘insignificant’, you have accepted the idea of the expendability of human life in general, and the enemy will use your acquiescence to pick off yet more.

Can state agencies, nonprofits, etc. stop already with the "well e-mail isn't secure so we have to use postal mail" thing? First class mail isn't remotely secure, and marginalized people especially often don't get it delivered reliably. Also this is often an ADA violation.

I’m told to think before I speak bc I often say the wrong thing. But no one gives me the time I need to think before I speak.

Want to do better by autistic people? OK: 1) Check how someone prefers to communicate 2) Allow more time to process responses 3) Avoid assumptions based on body language 4) Be open to written or direct communication when that works best @drstevenkapp.bsky.social et al: drexel.edu/dornsife/new...

I have figured it out. I will reach out to the state probably next week about the issues that have been reported to me. If others have similar issues with LIHEAP in Boston, please feel free to contact me so we can coordinate our advocacy. (In the meantime I have heard about ADA violations as well.)

YES. This is something I struggle with. The message of presume/assume competence is a good one, but I wonder if we need to focus on remembering humanity/autonomy, rather than "competence." 1/

Still trying to figure this out.

"Presuming competence means many things to me but 'independence' is not one of them. Not only because nobody is truly independent (we are all interdependent to some degree) but because independent is not a synonym for competent." Learn from @gosuperdonnie.bsky.social: donnie.lgbt/2020/11/25/t...

While obvious: "Our analysis suggests Black families may indeed demonstrate distinct autism-related support needs depending on the community in which they reside." It's great to see BIPOC Autistic fams finally being asked what they need instead of told We need this data & more like it Bravo!

This is interesting and not surprising. I would be curious to see what the results would be if instead of relaying information that had already been put into words, people were asked to relay information about something that hadn't.

Recently I was able to provide a parent with work accommodations letter verifying some disabilities, based on interview, screening tools, and college disability office records, without this being entered in the records at the health center where the parent's children also are seen.

In my work on juvenile court cases, I sure see a lot of records in which pediatricians and postpartum nurses randomly disclose to DCF that a parent has had previous abortions and miscarriages. Why on earth are y'all doing this? This information has nothing whatsoever to do with a baby's safety.

Boston/Massachusetts government advocacy question: Who oversees the agencies that administer LIHEAP? Families constantly report incompetence (i.e. staff not understanding basic math to calculate average income) and it's only getting worse -- asking for letters from job that ended 10 years ago.

PLEASE SHARE: Able to provide neurodiversity-affirming diagnostic evals, accommodation letters, gender letters, safety plans, advocacy, second opinions, etc. to those living in Massachusetts with employer-sponsored insurance. Not part of a health network -- nothing can be seen by other providers.

I once worked with a couple who had police come to the wrong address for a minor complaint. It was midnight or so, they had gotten home recently, and their infant was sleeping in a car seat on the floor inside the front door. Cops decided to search the place anyway. 1/

PLEASE SHARE: Able to provide neurodiversity-affirming diagnostic evals, accommodation letters, gender letters, safety plans, advocacy, second opinions, etc. to those living in Massachusetts with employer-sponsored insurance. Not part of a health network -- nothing can be seen by other providers.

Fellow clinicians/attorneys who work on DCF court cases: MAGAL is hosting a conference (Zoom or in person) in a few weeks featuring DCF admin going on record as to what the actual policies are for obtaining client records/info from DCF. Could be useful. www.magalinc.org/event-6140200

Today in Hell Yes, Research! "Echolalia may help autistic & non- ppl learn language. […] However, if communication partners regard it as a repetitive behavior rather than a form of communication, they may miss opportunities to connect." @drstevenkapp.bsky.social: www.frontiersin.org/journals/int...

A visionary sees the future while understanding the past. As trans people, we create strong ideas for a better future and work to bring them to life. TRANS WORLD celebrates those who imagine change. Support Trans Lifeline by donating and sharing your vision for trans futures below.

Need documentation? Now accepting most private insurances (and trying desperately to take MassHealth with no success yet) for gender letters, disability documentation, and evaluations and consults of most anything within my scope. www.erikashira.com/2011/02/2.html

I do not provide any information to any law enforcement agency without a subpoena or warrant signed by a judge.

Yes, this — expect that autistic folks may have undiagnosed coordination, language, etc. differences that extend beyond “autism.” But also, clinicians, diagnose these when you note them! I advocate for so many people who can’t get appropriate accommodations because they only have “autism.”

The Department of Education Secretary is tasked with serving ALL students - regardless of their background. Linda McMahon’s loyalty to the Trump agenda of discrimination, exclusion, and ignorance and Project 2025 tells us she will not protect children and keep them safe.

In today's episode of doomerism isn't a strategy, here's a list of things you can do today to make the world around you suck a little bit less: Pick ONE thing and do it. bsky.app/profile/itsa...

I genuinely don't understand any liberal, progressive, or leftist who says trans people in the United States aren't facing genocide right now.

After marrying in 1958, childhood sweethearts Mildred and Richard Loving were arrested for violating Virginia's ban on interracial marriage.

Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 at the age of 39.

If you’re an intercountry adopted person who has *never* received a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship, @adopteerights.bsky.social is hosting a free webinar on March 5 @ 7pm EST to help you apply for the first time.