The UK is no longer measles free. That was the news earlier this week. After we were declared measles free in 2016 by the World Health Organisation—no measles cases originated in the UK—measles has been on the rise since last year. It seems that children have been missing their second MMR jab (Measels, mumps and …
Category: Autism
God was already there
In my last blog from two days ago, I reported on the sermon on Jonah chapter 2 preached last Sunday at Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield. I got me thinking. I became disabled over thirteen years ago, that's one-fifth of my lifetime. Initially, I was OK, but I started to struggle more and more with the …
Person-centred language
Person-first language and Political Correctness Much of my thinking on this comes from a blog from 2017. Language is a tool. We can use it to build people up or tear them down. Take the simple word quite. A British man shows an American friend a picture of his girlfriend. "She's quite pretty," says the …
The ABA controversy
This has nothing to do with a Swedish pop group of the 1970s, but with the controversial treatment of autism in children Applied Behaviour Analysis or ABA. I'm writing now because I almost had a meltdown in church after the service. Then later that week #TodayInABA started appearing in my Twitter feed. Such as this …
I need more spoons
A shortage of spoons. I am writing this blog from bed. I am recovering from the utter, utter exhaustion from the last couple of weeks at the church mission and the week leading up to it. Now I'll be the first to admit that I have not done anywhere near as much as other people …
Accepting autistics and the problem of double empathy
Accepting autistics Last month was Autism Awareness Month, and I almost got away without blogging on my autism for the whole month, just posting on the evening of the last day. I saw so much of it, seeing people with autism as a problem to be dealt with, or the focus on children with autism …
Continue reading Accepting autistics and the problem of double empathy
For the Greta good
For the Greta good Greta Thunberg and climate change As an autistic person, I am always pleased when I see other people with autism who are successful. David Byrne, lead singer and guitarist with Talking Heads, and TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham, whose documentary Asperger's and me was shown on BBC in 2017 are two …
Just finishing: Steve awareness month.
Just finishing: Steve awareness month. That is Autism Awareness Month almost over for another year. I have kept back from posting this year, it felt too compulsory and I do not like being compelled. The special month and day thing adds to the pressure. We are already under pressure to "act normal," whatever they mean …
Autism: I hated the person I was …
... I loved the person I wanted to be I have always been autistic, it is what I am, but I have only been aware of that for under six years. I grew up not only not knowing I was autistic and not fitting in. I did not have many friends, I cannot think of …
Gatekeeping: Or whose news is it anyway?
You are not a real Star Trek fan if you watch Discovery Who are the real Trekers? Ts it the fans or is it the holders of the copyright? To a certain number of fans, they are the arbiters, they have their own Facebook groups and online forums, run their own wiki sites and have …
Making an ass of myself 