I am an autistic adult. I write about autism, my autistic experiences, and the history of this neurocognitive condition as a self-advocate to help share education in the hopes of spreading awareness and acceptance.
Autism is highly stigmatized and parents often grieve when their children receive this diagnosis. I am here to tell you that while your feelings are valid, your child is not any less of a person than who you built them up to be in your mind. They are still full of potential, love, and innocence, and their future has yet to be written.
I do not speak for the autistic community; I am just one voice in the autistic community.
“Diagnosed as an Autistic Adult” was a presentation featuring Tessa Watkins and Dr. Jessica Maher at Rep. Dan Miller’s 11th annual Disability & Mental Health Summit. This talk was given in person on April 19, 2024, in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a medical professional that can diagnose autism in others, help autistic patients and their families, or further autism research, then this Q&A page is for you!
This resources page is for autistic adults seeking services in Pennsylvania, USA, some specific to Allegheny county.
Discover the reasons why I believe waiting for DEI to occur naturally is not enough, backed by historical insights and personal reflections.
From neurodivergent to gender divergent, take a deeper look about the interplay in the autistic brain of people who are transgender, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming.
Am I bad at parenting or do I have a challenging child? This question may be a sign you’re having an existential crisis.
Tessa Watkins, autistic self-advocate, talks about the physical features caused by autism, addressing the stereotypes that people think of, in this 4-minute video.
Not much is known about Autism Spectrum Disorder since the studies of autism are just over 100 years old. Learn about the history of ASD from an autistic self-advocate in this 7-minute video.
Tessa and Biz talk about autism in this podcast episode of One Bad Mother. This is a 2-part series because Tessa infodumped during their recording session. What an autistic thing to do.
My partner, 4-year-old autistic child, and I flew transatlantic to visit family and we had one of the worst meltdowns of our lives in the airport.
Shopping for an autistic person? Check out these gift ideas whether it’s for a holiday or their birthday!
Learn from an autistic parent of an autistic child on how can you show your own autistic kid(s) you love them in a way they’ll understand.