If your child was recently diagnosed as autistic, please know that most problems you encounter will be due to lack of understanding & accommodation about autism from other people, and society in general—not because of autism. We have specific advice, at TPGA: thinkingautismguide.com/2025/09/afte...

An autistic woman has reportedly been left devastated upon discovering that her autism assessment was simply pass or fail.

What is Neurodiversity? It simply means that different people’s brains work differently, and that we’ll all be happier if we respect how those different brains work—instead of trying to force everyone to behave as though all brains are wired the same way. #neurodiversity

This week, Grammy-winning singer SZA, née Solána Imani Rowe, shared that she had received a formal autism diagnosis. It may help more Black women and girls see themselves in a community that often overlooks them. https://bit.ly/4wyEgxP

Want to make sure autism research actually supports autistic people? Learn how you can share your thoughts with the IACC, a government group that makes important choices about autism research funding. Comments for their 7/31 meeting are due by 7/17: autisticadvocacy.org/2026/02/inte...

Many autistic people 'act out' because they are bored. They don’t have enough to do, don’t like their options, &/or want things to change but aren’t able to make it happen. We have advice for identifying sources of autistic distress that might not be obvious: thinkingautismguide.com/2022/01/auti...

For oh so many reasons, I am in a headspace to say only this on social media about SBC’s Guardian Interview. Regrets are not repair. If anyone is in closer touch w/ him l than I am please feel free to pass that along to him. He knows how to reach me if he wants to talk further.

Today in Autistics Deserve Better: Decades of "overlooking autistic women had huge consequences. Left undiagnosed, they were being 'othered and called weird' while facing serious mental health challenges." CN for suicidal ideation. www.bbc.com/news/article... #autism #neurodiversity

As diagnoses have increased through awareness, support for research & services have too. Yet increase in diagnoses is not because of DSM-5: criteria were narrowed: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30852784/ Together the autism community can advocate for rights rather than rationing; many choose otherwise. 5/

Ironically, pro-cure advocates like many wanting "profound" segregation have long used broad understanding of autism, like Talk About Curing Autism saying "1 in [X number] is 1 too many" (using all autism DSM-IV-era diagnoses). Autism Speaks promoted World Autism Awareness Day/Month for a cure. 4/

Many like National Council on Severe Autism disregard rights & want autistic ppl w/ complex needs to be in segregated settings that are arguably institution-like: www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/new... Doing more research w/ such autistic ppl would help change direction: osf.io/preprints/ps... 3/

"Profound autism" coiners claimed "profoundly" autistic ppl cannot self-advocate, when even ppl without reliable language express their needs in their own ways. thinkingautismguide.com/2019/02/the-... They have had little attention to AAC and sensory & motor issues that may interfere w/ speech. 2/

Autistic ppl are so diverse that there are no well-replicated subgroups by separate research teams, and diagnoses should be descriptive rather than prescriptive - support needs to be personalized and based on need. Meanwhile, some carry a specific anti-neurodiversity agenda w/ "profound autism". 1/

You should listen and subscribe! Such a thoughtful and compassionate chat. (Note that Ayanna and Tiara discuss periods, which shouldn't require a content warning IMO.)

Our newsletter will be on hiatus until July 27. Be on the lookout that day for some commentary on the Autism Science Foundation’s intractable support for applied behavioral analysis! And, as always, please share and subscribe. Our full archives await your eyeballs: buttondown.com/TPGA/archive/

Just because the same group of mostly anti-neurodiversity, non-autistic people keep trying to make #ProfoundAutism happen does not mean the proposed label actually has merit. In fact, the term has the potential to do great harm, as @drstevenkapp.bsky.social details: www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13...

When autistic adults are asked about early autism interventions, they "advocated for increased autism acceptance, not targeting unharmful autism traits but instead making the environment more accessible and educating the community around the child." CN: Abuse: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

"Turns out, if you systematically exclude a specific population from access or recognition, they won’t be present or accounted for when it comes time to enumerating their representation." Also imagine being surprised in this year of our lord 2026 that autistic people have higher CV disease risks

"Resulta que si excluyes sistemáticamente a una población específica de acceso o reconocimiento, no estará presente o serán considerada cuando llegue el momento de enumerar su representación."

"Do I need to wear sunglasses to the supermarket? Surely not. I could just be in pain the whole time and exhausted afterwards, like I used to be before I realised there was a choice!" On Needs vs. Wants in Disability, from @oolong.co.uk: oolong.medium.com/needs-vs-wan... #autism #neurodiversity

When autistic adults are asked about early autism interventions, they "advocated for increased autism acceptance, not targeting unharmful autism traits but instead making the environment more accessible and educating the community around the child." CN: Abuse: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

"Any time in the last 20 years, Simon Baron-Cohen could have asked the autism community or looked beyond his own biases at the existing literature […] but he was too busy being galaxy brained about autistic people." @ejwillingham.bsky.social on SBC, in our newsletter. buttondown.com/TPGA/archive...

After an adult autism diagnosis, "Many people find they move from a critical, often harsh assessment of their past actions and choices towards a far more empathic understanding of themselves as someone who made choices from a difficult place." By Claire Jack: www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/wome...

During this #DisabilityPrideMonth, just being visible & present is an act of solidarity. (Not violating comfort zones, of course, but so community members can participate on their own terms. And I realize is it not something that we can all do. But it really, really matters.) More power to us all.

"Research has suggested that autistic people enjoy spending time with other autistic people & find them easier to talk to. [However] More research is needed to find out more about why spending time with other autistic people helps some autistic people." pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... #autism

Oh fascinating! SZA says she got a formal autism diagnosis. This is a huge deal because Black and female #ActuallyAutistic people frequently get overlooked or go undiagnosed. Hopefully this leads to less stigma around who can be autistic. www.complex.com/music/a/alex...

"Do I need to wear sunglasses to the supermarket? Surely not. I could just be in pain the whole time and exhausted afterwards, like I used to be before I realised there was a choice!" On Needs vs. Wants in Disability, from @oolong.co.uk: oolong.medium.com/needs-vs-wan... #autism #neurodiversity

"Any time in the last 20 years, Simon Baron-Cohen could have asked the autism community or looked beyond his own biases at the existing literature […] but he was too busy being galaxy brained about autistic people." @ejwillingham.bsky.social on SBC, in our newsletter. buttondown.com/TPGA/archive...

Simon Baron-Cohen has been listening to autistic people: Now says his ‘extreme male brain’ theory of autism is unhelpful, dismisses the idea that people would seek an autism diagnosis in “a casual way,” and will lead research in improving autistic people's heath. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

July is #DisabilityPrideMonth! Support a disabled crafter today and check out my disability pride hat pattern, and you can make one of these hats for yourself! Other original patterns for sale in my shop, too. ko-fi.com/s/773612c643 #BSNM #DisabledArtist #ShopSmall #Knitting #FiberArts

Being diagnosed with autism in my forties has made me feel much more compassionate towards my younger self and the fact I felt like a square peg in a round hole at school and most of the places I've worked

After an adult autism diagnosis, "Many people find they move from a critical, often harsh assessment of their past actions and choices towards a far more empathic understanding of themselves as someone who made choices from a difficult place." By Claire Jack: www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/wome...

"Having AAC users as mentors to those new to AAC or are having already begun their AAC journey will be a key factor to having AAC accepted overall.” Kaishawna Fleming, at TPGA: thinkingautismguide.com/2025/08/yes-... #autism #autistic #AAC #neurodiversity

During this #DisabilityPrideMonth, just being visible & present is an act of solidarity. (Not violating comfort zones, of course, but so community members can participate on their own terms. And I realize is it not something that we can all do. But it really, really matters.) More power to us all.

"There is a multi-billion global autism "cure/ treatment" industry just waiting to exploit parents who are anxious and don’t yet know much about the topic." Grateful to @annmemmott.bsky.social for her useful list of autism “treatment” scams to avoid: www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/news/blog-sc... #autism

"A group of strangers chose to help someone they had never met. They gave me back my independence. They gave me back my freedom. And what began as a desperate search for technical assistance became something much more valuable." Mutual disability aid FTW: www.openassistivetech.org/an-extraordi...

Hey US residents: How are you dealing with tomorrow’s fireworks? Seek? Avoid? Meh?

My house shakes every year, literally. I have an anxiety disorder and a heart condition, and an I'm an activist who's keenly aware of things like fire risk & effects on veterans + refugees with explosion related PTSD.

Hey US residents: How are you dealing with tomorrow’s fireworks? Seek? Avoid? Meh?

We need you 📣 We know most people stand with the trans community, but a small minority people want the trans community to disappear. Add your voice so we can show how many people stand with trans community: https://goodlaw.social/z073

“Awareness is certainly important; early identification saves kids. But acceptance is harder. It means your autistic kid doesn’t have to perform neurotypicality to be loved, included or taken seriously.” www.sltrib.com/opinion/comm... #autism #parenting #neurodiversity

Can genetics studies ever be a positive for autistic people? Depends! Genetics tools can be used for better or worse. The key is a research ethics framework that ensures that it’s all for the better. @ejwillingham.bsky.social in the TPGA newsletter. Share/subscribe! buttondown.com/TPGA/archive...

"Research has suggested that autistic people enjoy spending time with other autistic people & find them easier to talk to. [However] More research is needed to find out more about why spending time with other autistic people helps some autistic people." pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... #autism

July is Disability Pride Month! Happy Disability Pride Month from all of us at ASAN!

Also, the tour guide told us that he was the seventh of nine children. It was not physically possible for me to refrain from yelling out “that means you are Borg!!” In front of a confused group of tourists.

Today my autistic son and I went on a boat tour. There was pressure to take tour photos. He doesn’t like them. He also is mostly nonspeaking. I said “no thank you, that doesn’t work for us.” And did not back down. :) Reader, it has taken me 20 years to be comfortable with setting this boundary. -SR

um, "lacks empathy" is different from "hyperempathetic but has difficulty communicating or responding to that in a neurotypical way".

Next time you hear someone saying, “Autistic people lack empathy,” you might want to gently challenge them to read @annmemmott.bsky.social's article, and be prepared for some surprising discoveries. At TPGA: thinkingautismguide.com/2026/06/empa... #autism #DoubleEmpathyProblem #neurodiversity

"Lo que no llega a la estadística es lo que he considerado como el mundo silencioso: la parte donde dejas de intentar traducir a tu niña autista en una niña neurotípica y empiezas a prestar atención a quien realmente está frente a ti."

Yeah, like you have no idea the years of therapy you would save an autistic child if you actually did that, especially when they are black girls... (Years and years of therapy)