What does autism look like? The study of autism is not even 100 years old so current medical literature is still incomplete since the studies were primarily done on a narrow demographic. When I talk to others in the tech industry about my autistic characteristics, they often find me relatable. “Aren’t we all a little bit autistic?” Well, no, not really, but you may be autistic because this industry is perfect for the autistic person to thrive.
World Information Architecture Day was on March 5th, 2022. The Pittsburgh chapter held its own online event, including speakers like Tessa Watkins, an autistic programmer. Below is a recording of the live Zoom event.
This video has been edited from the original Zoom recording to remove the tech issues and interruptions that occurred. You can watch the original video uploaded by World IA Day Pittsburgh here.
Undiagnosed autism is overrepresented in the sciences, especially tech, because the way programming works is very similar to how the autistic brain works: Boolean, literal, and explicit. A function only does what you code it to do and it does it the same way every time. Routine and consistency, you could use that to describe code, but it’s also characteristics of autism. We connect with machines better than with other people.
In this talk, I’ll be discussing the invisible hardships I’ve faced in the industry as an autistic person, the definition of autistic culture, and how I’ve managed to build a successful autistic community online, something that sounds like an oxymoron since a stereotype of autistic people is that we aren’t able to connect with anyone.
About the Speaker, Tessa Watkins
Tessa Watkins (they/them pronouns) is a professional web developer with nearly a decade of experience. They have a background in video game design, a passion for UX and HCI, and skills in frontend development with a touch of backend. Tessa is autistic, diagnosed in 2020, but despite the late diagnosis, they were autistic their entire lives; the ASD diagnosis is merely an explanation for others to get a glimpse of Tessa’s neurotype. Tessa thrives in this industry because they are autistic, not despite it. Solving problems with technology is one of their special interests and Tessa hyperfocuses on their work to innovate for their clients. With a brain as amazing as that, who cares if they stutter sometimes? People like Tessa are changing what professionalism can look like when we drop ableism from its definition.
In their home life, Tessa is married and together they have a toddler and two cats. Tessa’s partner, John D. Watkins, Ph.D., is the head of materials at ESTAT Actuation, a Pittsburgh robotics startup. In true autistic culture, Tessa and their family are primarily homebodies, preferring activities like playing video games, watching TV, and regulating their sensory health with climbing, swinging, running, dancing, and vocalizing all from their sensory-friendly home. Aside from spending time with family, Tessa relaxes with their hobbies with martial arts, painting, reading, and writing.
Tessa’s latest special interest is social justice, especially for disability, mental health, and people of color. They volunteer with a local grassroots organization called M.O.R.E, Mt. Lebanon Organization for Racial Equity, and have become more outspoken for these communities.
Learn More about the Event
- World IA Day
- World IA Day Pittsburgh
- Interview with Tessa Watkins by Tomorrow’s World Today
