All my life I have wanted to blend in. I have wanted to be understood, to feel safe, to be able to tolerate a bit of vulnerability without needing to retreat for days to recover, and to be accepted for who I am. I have tried so hard to look the part, talk the talk, be one of the gang. It’s possible people do actually perceive that I have achieved that, but in my mind I have not. I have always still felt on the outside and uncomfortable, no matter what I have done to fit in. Continue reading
My personal Instagram account is full of pictures of my garden. That’s pretty much all it is these days. I like Instagram, because it is a context in which people expect you to post images in themes or topics….. or, if we want to delve into pathologising my use of Instagram, “special interests”. Continue reading
There is something about growing, changing, identifying parts of yourself that you had not recognised, that is deeply unsettlingly liberating. I have been struggling to put words to it. Then today, this beautiful butterfly sat in my path. Continue reading
It’s been a year since we registered to homeschool MissG. I’ve got to say, it’s been a steep learning curve….. for me. Continue reading
Do you live independently? Yeah. Me too.
I live in a house with my partner. We both have jobs. I buy food, pay rent and bills, and drive my car. I am raising six children. I care for our pets. I clean the house, wash clothes, garden, and grow some of our own food. I go to appointments, deal with necessary bureaucracy, and I vote. Continue reading
There is a fair bit of misunderstanding of the message from disabled advocates in the situation around the discussion involving The Mighty and its history of promoting the voices of parents of disabled children more than those of actually disabled people. Continue reading
A while back I wrote an article about my experience when The Mighty approached me requesting to republish one of my blog posts, and it has experienced a surge in views recently as the social media reaction to The Mighty amongst disabled advocates and activists has played out.
Shaping an expanded identity gives opportunities not many other situations give. Looking back over my life through a different lens adds perspective and dimension to my experience. Continue reading
So here I am, becoming autistic. Not literally, of course. I have been autistic my whole life. But I am figuratively becoming autistic as I learn to recognize in myself the things I do to move through the life I want. Continue reading
Sometimes things change quickly, and it is easy to see the change. Sometimes they shift ever so slowly, and the change kind of sneaks itself in without you realizing it is there, until suddenly you turn around and everything is different. Continue reading
