If you have transient episodes of not being able to speak, or not finding the right words, you may think it’s selective mutism. Could it be autistic catatonia instead?
For many autistic students, school fire drills can be deeply upsetting. For Alex, the fear of the next one was so traumatizing that it prevented access to a free and appropriate education.
I am writing this to carve out space for myself in the socially-constructed version of the world. I don’t exist if I’m autistic and all autistic people who act the way I’m acting are masking.
Most people think that we are being stubborn or that we actually get to choose when we are able to talk or not. This is definitely not the case. Selective mutism is not an easy condition to manage.
A research article concluded that autistic people cared too much about others, citing inflexibility to be an issue by following moral code even when individual gains are high. In my personal opinion as an autistic person, I would argue that the non-autistic participants did not weight the negative consequences of their actions enough, and simply chose individual benefit over other people.
People believe that if an autistic person can use the internet and navigate social media, they are “high functioning” and not truly disabled or “like their child.” Function labels are a myth.
Being autistic and nonbinary gives me a unique experience. I don’t think I would’ve pushed against gender norms so much, if I wasn’t autistic.
For the first time, ASAN’s annual gala is virtual, making it more accessible to those who weren’t able to travel. See the schedule of events and find out how to attend.
In response to the public outrage, the Commonwealth Attorney of Virginia Beach wrote a letter asking that Matthew Rushin not be pardoned. Stolle accused those calling for Matthew’s release of being removed from the facts. Here are the facts.
Teens Bekki Semenova and Ellie Rebarbar shine a light on selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that is often misunderstood and needs more awareness and acceptance.