World Autism Acceptance Week 2025: Greetings Fellow Programs!

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So seeing as it's actually, really truly World Autism Acceptance (2025) Day today (obviously it can't bet on April Fools Day that would really be taking the piss) I thought I'd rehash (sorry repost) a quick introduction type thing I've put together for occasions just like this.

So if you make it thru' this and return on a regular basis expect rambles, rants and vaguely amusing tales of an Autistic nature that may contain cult movie mentions and pictures of dodgy haircuts mixed in with me mostly shouting angrily about Autistic provision (or lack of) or me getting excited about work projects.

You have been warned.....

 

 

But not mine obviously.

 


And what better way to start than with some quite interesting facts taken from (partly) an interview I did for an academic paper on Autistic parenting and bits of the interview process I went thru in regard to the Chris Packham fronted BBC project Inside Our Autistic Minds that was broadcast a couple of years back.

Doesn't time fly?

Bizarrely I was way too excitable and chatty for TV and ultimately not used as the researchers said that we'd need a whole documentary to ourselves, tho I think the real reason I wasn't featured was my hair would clash with Chris Packham's. 

It's the same reason I've never had my own film-based review show, tho' I can blame Mark Kermode for that.

Probably.

 


 

Anyway this gives a pretty good insight into our whole wide world.

Enjoy.

Again.

Oh and pay attention as there will be questions later.

And on that note..... 



 

1. Who the Hell are you?

Hi, I'm Ash, an Autistic dad to 3 Autistic children (twin girls and a wee boy) with an NT wife - so as you can imagine, Autism's the norm in our house which means we have to cope with a non-Autistic who can change routines, try new foods, get different haircuts etc. so it can be quite odd! 

Anyway, when not raising a grand Autistic army to take over the world (imagine the Skywalker's but with more stimming) I work as an illustrator with work taking in
everything from art for FrightFest, Cine Excess festival, Routledge International Handbook of Children's Rights & Disability, Stealth Autistics theatre company, the Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick exhibition, Glasgow Museums and Glasgow Science Centre & the Autism Through Cinema project, concept & art for Scottish Autism's late, lamented Autitude magazine and blog/advocate for all things Autistic along the way….it’s a full time thing!

2.  Describe an average week.

At the moment my week consists of – get up and the kids ready for college, then take Cassidy (boychild) to college, then spend the day working with him at college, then travel home and have a cup of tea...one our two free days we have to fit in shopping, laundry, work etc whilst seeing to the kids needs and all thanks to Social Work deciding that none of them qualify for support.

Yes even the one that has limited language, no sense of danger and constant supervision.

(and yes, this subject will come up a lot).

At the weekends I maybe enjoy a wee tipple or three but let's be honest I've earned it.

3. When were you diagnosed as autistic and how did you feel about it?

I received my DX aged 43 after years of mis-diagnosis for a myriad of other conditions (Frontal Lobe Epilepsy, hormone imbalance, aggressive puberty anyone?) and to be honest it just seemed that everything clicked into place, like putting on glasses and finally being able to see after years of assuming the whole world was blurred.

4. In what ways do you think being autistic impacts your life?

It’s at the core of who I am, it informs everything I do, everything I like - every aspect of everything!

5.  What do you think people misunderstand most about autism?

It’d be quicker to list what they actually understand…which is probably how to spell it.

6. What do friends, family, co-workers or support workers struggle to understand about you?

Like any relationships (work or personal) you’re gonna get misunderstanding and confusion at times, I’ve always been lucky enough to be fairly loud and outspoken plus I know misunderstanding is a two-way thing….I find NT folk utterly frustrating and hard work at times, but it’s not their fault that their brains work
differently to mine…it costs nothing to be understanding and patient with them.

7. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

I was once mistaken for the small boy from Dario Argento’s Suspiria at a
horror event by a semi-famous Italian actor.

 

And for those of you who prefer pictures....

 












More later!

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