I don’t mask anymore. I spent my whole life pretending to be someone else because I thought it was required, at the expense of my energy and mental health. Nowadays I surround myself with those who accept me completely for who I am, and encourage me to be who I am. It has been years… Continue reading Masking
Autism Moms
I’m not an “autism mom.” I’m an autistic mom. I’m part of a happy, self-sufficient, fully-functioning, fully-autistic family, trying to build an autistic community. When I meet other autistic kids, decked out in their Pokemon or Minecraft or wearing no sleeves in the winter or rainboots every day, stimming happily walking into school, I smile… Continue reading Autism Moms
Home Planet
As a child I used to lie awake outside at night, staring up at the stars, waiting for the aliens to come pick me up and take me to my home planet. This planet is a harsh one, and I surely didn’t belong here.
Variations
There are many variations on Tails this year.
Exploring Fear
I think fear was one of my primary emotions in childhood, and I could say the same for most of us autistics. The world is a scary place, especially when it’s hard to navigate, harder to understand, and was designed for neurotypicals.
Fear and Expression
Drawings
I love how much feeling my daughter captures in her drawings. The theme has remained the same for many years, but the characters take on new angles and depth and expressions as she learns and changes her perceptions.
Art as Expression
I did not discover I was autistic until I was in my early thirties, after my daughter’s diagnosis at age two. She is a Gestalt language processor. We are all different, and I embrace our differences. She has always had her art, and I feel she expresses herself with more depth and clarity than most… Continue reading Art as Expression
The Artistic Expression of Autistics: A Journey of Creation and Connection
Welcome to Stimmables, a space where I explore sensory experiences, creativity, and the power of self-expression. Being on the autism spectrum has offered me a unique perspective on the world – one that’s enriched by sensory intricacies and the desire to find connection through creativity. As a parent of autistic children, I’ve witnessed firsthand how… Continue reading The Artistic Expression of Autistics: A Journey of Creation and Connection