I thought I'd live tweet my thoughts on Christine McGuiness: Unmasking My Autism.

#UnmaskingMyAutism #ActuallyAutistic #WomensHistoryMonth #Girls #GenderMinorities Its living in conflict [hiding herself].

I totally get this as a trans Autistic ADHDer with chronic issues. I'm exciting to see what the programme brings and what Christine shares.

Live tweets of the second (and final) episode of #InsideOurAutisticMinds #BBCdocumentary Change *is* disastrous. And it definitely feels like a loss of control.

Thought I'd live tweet my thoughts on #InsideOurAutisticMinds episode one. So here goes... I love how Chris moves his hand when he speaks and I've always loved his voice.

The difference between Autistic masking and Autistic shielding, a thread.
Ahead of my talk on this, thisWednesday on @aucademy

Autistic masking is a trauma response to the consistent bullying, harassment, stigma and marginalisation Autistic people face. It is so much more than trying to fit in or fly under the radar. It is unconscious self-preservation, an automatic response to keep us safe.
There is also a misconception around Autistic masking that we become outwardly non-Autistic in our behaviours, mannerisms and speech.

Inaccessibility at university, a short thread 🧵

The undue pressure to make our own accessibility needs meet in education is astounding.

This doesn't get any easier as we get older and go into further education. 1/6 University is filled with so many difficult social interactions, sensory overwhelming spaces, changing timetables and the emails, oh the fucking emails!

There are freezing rooms, boiling hot rooms, tiny tables, people everywhere... 2/6

My area of specialised interest is trans and / or non-binary Autistic experiences.

I wrote my undergrad thesis on supporting gender divergent Autistic students. I just finished my MRes on trans+ Autistic narratives and recommendations for research on our experiences. 1/5 This is important to me as a trans masc NBi Autistic person who works with gender divergent Autistic young people. I have just handed in my 20,000 word dissertation. 2/5

Joining a #LongCovid online support group is definitely something...a 🧵[thread]

Listening to people who were able bodied experiencing disability for the first time definitely brings up so serious feelings for me, anger, frustration, annoyance 1/8 I just want to sit in the middle of it all and shout and the want to shout "some of us live like this all the time and no one cares!? Now you can finally see what that feels like."

But I don't want to dismiss anyone's very valid feelings about having their mental and 2/8

So, my plan for #PrideMonth was to write something every day.

It's my plan every Pride Month but Attention Hyperactivity, brain fog and life gets in the way!

It is so vital that we share our stories, resources, information love and acceptance all year round but... ...especially in a month where big corporations make rainbow dollars with no regard for LGBTQIA+ support. Or a passing performative we'll-bung-some-money-at-the-most-obvious-Queer-charity.

It's a month where some Queer charities are uplifted but come July 1st, are dropped...

At group yesterday a physically disabled person referred to themselves as a crip and crippled.

A lot of people recoiled in horror at those words and the MH 'specialist' said that would need unpacking another time.

Their reaction is so problematic. 1/ Us disabled folk are continuously abused, ignored and patronised by those around us.

And when we finally own who we are as crips, disabled whatever words *we* choose we are policed. /2