As an autistic adult and a psychology and philosophy student, I thought I'd share my perspectives. These are answers to the common questions I am asked. — Firstly, you cannot change what you reject, and being undiagnosed means that you do not know because you do not know. Being undiagnosed means that life is effectively in 'hard mode'. …

As an Autistic professional, this is one topic I commonly address in the workplace. Accommodations are tools for success. — Numerous individuals contacted me regarding an article I wrote on Autism in the workplace, so I deemed it significant for a second article. As a design professional with nearly 20 years of experience, I have noticed that how a business approaches accommodations is a common theme among disabled professionals.

Autistic people struggle to keep relationships and are often isolated and lonely. I will explain a few reasons why they struggle. — During a recent coffee catchup with an excellent professional friend, we both had an “aha” moment about the difficulties autistic people have in forming bonds and relationships. Yes, autistics are intense. We overshare and overcommit due to excitement if we like someone or something.

I’ve followed Sia’s works for a while, and like many people with autism, I’m not surprised about her revelation. — For people who do not know, Sia has recently announced that she is autistic. My personal opinion is that I’m unsurprised about this revelation, as with many people in the autism community. The signs were always there around giftedness, social differences, sensory challenges on stage, and cultural nuances.

I’m TV Famous… Well, no, not really. I was fortunate enough to be on SBS Insight and speak about autism and empathy with my wonderful partner. Here are some of my thoughts. — Last month Jo and I were invited to talk on SBS Insights about autism and empathy. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but a big shout out to Felicity for making it a truly remarkable experience (thanks!). A few insights are: 😃 Empathy is not just one thing. 🧠 Different minds apply…

Accommodations are the valid changes required to enable someone to do the base standard of their job. — Being accommodating (e.g. being nice) is not the same as an accommodation. Yes, being nice and friendly make dealing with people more manageable, but it’s not an accommodation, nor should it be viewed as a value. …

No, it’s really not what you think. These are the crucial reasons why neurodivergent employees require flexible working arrangements. And it’s for neurophysiological reasons. — Not everyone is a morning person, coffee or not. This may be shocking to many, and everyone doesn’t work to the same biological rhythms. For autistic individuals, this means that circadian rhythms, melatonin production, and behavioural cycles differ from the broader population (Furfaro 2017). …

Recently talking with a friend about autism and adulthood, I realised that many believe autistic children grow out of autism. And specifically, the barriers for society are far less as an adult. — The very idea of equity and having fundamental rights upheld is a very foreign concept to many on the spectrum. I’m not trying to be negative, but rather illustrate the reality for many adults living with autism. …

A common question autistic people are asked regards intimacy. And it can be challenging to put into words and explain the subject. — Without giving too much away, I was fortunate enough to be part of a panel talking about empathy and my experience of being autistic. Though I have written about relationships before, I still struggle to answer this. The question about autism and intimacy is always asked, especially when discussing dating…