Note For Anyone Writing About Me

Guide to Writing About Me

I am an Autistic person,not a person with autism. I am also not Aspergers. The diagnosis isn't even in the DSM anymore, and yes, I agree with the consolidation of all autistic spectrum stuff under one umbrella. I have other issues with the DSM.

I don't like Autism Speaks. I'm Disabled, not differently abled, and I am an Autistic activist. Self-advocate is true, but incomplete.

Citing My Posts

MLA: Zisk, Alyssa Hillary. "Post Title." Yes, That Too. Day Month Year of post. Web. Day Month Year of retrieval.

APA: Zisk, A. H. (Year Month Day of post.) Post Title. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://yesthattoo.blogspot.com/post-specific-URL.

Ask Me Things!

I'm autistic. I like answering questions. I like to teach.
Sometimes it's hard for me to think of something to write about, and sometimes the topics flow faster than I can write.
If you have a question for me or something you would like to see me write about, this is a place where you can ask or tell.  So start asking!

15 comments:

  1. Your "tip jar" link goes to the main PayPal site but not to a specific page through which we might donate - could you fix that? I'd be happy to contribute to it, and others may be as well...

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    1. Whoops. My end now tells me that it is fixed. Thanks for letting me know!

      Delete
  2. I read your post regarding language and wondered what you think about saying someone is "on the spectrum." That is the phrase I sometimes use to describe my daughter. She is young, and doesn't have a preference yet.

    While I understand that some groups prefer person first language, I have always found it awkward.

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    Replies
    1. I won't call out a person who calls me that unless they've already yelled at me for calling myself Autistic (Do that, and you are to use identity first or only to refer to me at all times, no room for error ever forever,) and I don't care what anyone else calls themself. On the spectrum is totally fine for people who prefer it or who have no preference.

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  3. Hello,
    I am from the UK and I have been reading on your blog about the problems with Autism Speaks. I was wondering whether you thought that UK-based Autism charities (I'm thinking specifically of the National Autistic Society) were also problematic? I looked on their website to see if I could answer this myself (here are their list of aims http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/about-the-nas/who-we-are/vision-and-mission.aspx, which seemed OK, but they also use 'living with autism' as a phrase, which seemed to me very negative). I hope you don't mind me asking, but I am neurotypical and I don't want to support charities that are problematic, but I know that I might not notice their problematic-ness. So. I hope it's OK to ask.
    Thanks,
    Kath

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    Replies
    1. It's fine to ask!
      What I've heard from UK Autistics sums up to this:
      Autistica is a lot like Autism Speaks, stay away.
      National Autistic Society uses problematic rhetoric at times (often) but does good things with their money as far as services goes, and they do mention the whole "Autistic adults exist" thing.
      I've heard about someone working on starting an ASAN-style group in the UK, but that is in early phases right now.

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  4. Hello,
    I have been researching autism sources and diagnostic criteria for a while now, and I'm pretty strongly convinced that I'm on the spectrum, but it would make me feel infinitely better to talk it out with an autistic person (I can't obtain a diagnosis currently for several reasons). Do you have any advice on where I could find a community or person willing to talk to me without ridicule?

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    1. Tumblrs #askanautistic tag is good. Politeyeti.tumblr.com has a set of alternate criteria. #possiblyautistic is good if you're not sure but strongly suspect, if you're confident enough to say "Yes, I am autistic" then #actuallyautistic will be fine. It is accepting of folks who are self-dx for whatever reason.

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  5. Is it true that the curebies took the spectrum and made it work against us?

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  6. Dear Alyssa, since you have this "Ask me things" section in your blog, i'll give it a try. Concerning your post on "refusing to pay" dated 22 january, i was wondering ... as kids grow up and develop, achieving "standard" milestones, we're even more pressured to ignore their Autistic being (kind of: he's getting "better" - whatever that means - and the mother seeing him as Autistic is holding him to the spectrum - as if there was anything wrong with that). It's obviously a twisted argument, that's not why I'm bothering you at all, but how can we argue with that? How can we pass the message that nurturing kids as Autistic is one of the basics that allowed them to shine? How can we state the obvious that we can't / we won't get to the middle of the game and change the rules, as if Autism was suddenly vanished? How can we oppose this other version of the "blame" argument? If you feel confortable answering, I would very much appreciate your thoughts. Thanks

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    1. Hang on a bit because I'm trying to do too many things, but I will get to that one! It's an important idea. Possibly multiple, since you really do ask multiple things.

      Delete
  7. So I saw something about that you make/made chainmail in class as a stim or a way to help listen or however you want to phrase it and I thought I was the only one who did that so super happy right now because chainmail is awesome and your blog is also awesome and hi. I don't think there's really a question in here, just got very excited (chainmail is my current special interest) so feel free to ignore me.

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  8. I would love to hear your opinion on Special Olympics. The mission statement of SO is "... to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,...". Were you ever involved in SO? And if so, do you consider yourself 'intellectually disabled'?

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  9. I read your post about accidentally autistic characters, and I was wondering what the best way to be sure if you are writing one is. I want to do the best job I can of it without it being forced, stereotypical, or just plain bad.

    I really appreciate you taking the time to look at this, and would value your feedback! Thanks!

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I reserve the right to delete comments for personal attacks, derailing, dangerous comparisons, bigotry, and generally not wanting my blog to be a platform for certain things.