Toots

Autistic People’s Experience of Empathy: Autistic People Have, on Average, a Heightened Affective Empathic Response Relative to Non-Autistic People Notably, there was a high proportion of hyper-empathic experiences. Many respondents reported their empathic responses to be overwhelming, or even distressing. These different experiences of empathy contrast with societal expectations of empathy, which often result in additional labor for autistic people as they navigate… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/29/autis tic-peoples-experience-of-empathy-autistic-people-have-on-average-a-heightened-affective-empathic-response-relative-to-non-autistic-people/

“Parallel play was observed as one of the most frequent play states for autistic children in free play settings.” We updated our “Flow” and “Parallel Play” glossary pages with selections from “Diversity in Autistic Play: Autistic Adults' Experiences | Autism in Adulthood”. Table of Contents Parallel Play Flow Monotropism Questionnaire Further Reading Parallel Play Some participants described potential differences in social play between autistic and non-autistic people.… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/29/paral lel-play-was-observed-as-one-of-the-most-frequent-play-states-for-autistic-children-in-free-play-settings/

We updated our “Polyvagal Theory” glossary page with a selection from “A neurodiversity paradigm lens on polyvagal theory — Neurodiverse Connection”. - https:// stimpunks.org/glossary/polyvag al-theory/ - https:// ndconnection.co.uk/blog/neurod iversity-paradigm

Enhancing Self-Determination with Interdependence, Niche Construction, and Flow Two important areas of self-determination for us are niche construction and flow. If we aren’t allowed to construct niches so we can achieve flow states, we aren’t sufficiently self-determined. In “Frontiers | Toward understanding and enhancing self-determination: a qualitative exploration with autistic adults without co-occurring intellectual disability”, we detect themes of “let me build… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/28/enhan cing-self-determination-with-interdependence-niche-construction-and-flow/

Belonging in School Belonging is very close to the idea of feeling safe. Belonging in School: Resource Introduction Webinar - YouTube Belonging in School: Resource Introduction Webinar We added quotes from the recently released “Belonging in School – a school-level resource for developing inclusive policies” to our “Belonging” glossary page, to our “Accommodation” glossary page, and to the “ https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/26/belon ging-in-school/

Changelog: For an autistic person it’s about finding the right niche For an autistic person ‘it's about finding the right niche’, because ‘if you have a particular interest, you can really thrive in a particular niche.’ Happier on the outside? Discourses of exclusion, disempowerment and belonging from former autistic school staff We updated “Niche Construction”, “Cavendish Space”, and “⛺️🔥 Cavendish Space: Caves, Campfires, and Watering Holes for Dandelions, Tulips,… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/10/chang elog-for-an-autistic-person-its-about-finding-the-right-niche/

Changelog: “Accommodation” Implies a Sort of Permission We updated our “Accommodation” glossary page with a selection from “The Future of Design Is Designing for Disability” by s.e. smith. “Accommodation” implies a sort of permission, something granted to another person. It suggests that there’s something abnormal about a disabled person that requires extra effort. In the case of the ADA, people fighting accessibility requests in some contexts can cite the “undue… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/06/chang elog-accommodation-implies-a-sort-of-permission/

Changelog: Mass school refusal among neurodivergent children is an early form of resistance to neuronormativity. We updated our ‘School-Induced Anxiety’ page with selections from Robert Chapman and “‘Children are holding a mirror up to us’: why are England’s kids refusing to go to school? | Schools | The Guardian”. While we were updating, we broke the page up into sections and added a table of contents. Mass school refusal among neurodivergent children is an early form… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/06/chang elog-mass-school-refusal-among-neurodivergent-children-is-an-early-form-of-resistance-to-neuronormativity/

Interdependence, Access Intimacy, and Crip Technoscience: Disabled people do really cool things with language if people would pay attention. Crip languaging incorporates practices of access intimacy, adaptions of technology, and relationality. To sum up, disabled people do really cool things with language if people would pay attention. View of Unsettling Languages, Unruly Bodyminds: A Crip Linguistics Manifesto We updated “Crip Linguistics”, “Written Communication Is… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/09/04/inter dependence-access-intimacy-and-crip-technoscience-disabled-people-do-really-cool-things-with-language-if-people-would-pay-attention/

The nonprofit professionals who consult us tell us we’re unique. They tell us we’re tearing down walls in philanthropy. Here’s our pitch deck. https:// stimpunks.org/pitch/ It’s made for sharing. Feedback welcome.

Oliver Sacks: There is no standard way of being, or knowing, or perceiving. There is no standard way of being, or knowing, or perceiving. Variation is of the essence. There are an infinite number of ways of being and doing and knowing and remembering. And there are an infinite number of ways of being healthy. Oliver Sacks Today we remember Oliver Sacks. A naturalist, a writer, a psychonaut, but first and foremost a physician and explorer of the human condition. https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/31/olive r-sacks-there-is-no-standard-way-of-being-or-knowing-or-perceiving/

No Competition of Hierarchies Should Prevail: Identity Politics, Strategic Essentialism, Rhizomes, Punk, and Oppression Olympics Identity politics can be employed to simultaneously uplift marginalised members of society and deconstruct the mechanisms of their marginalisation. Spider-Verse, Identity Politics, Leftist Infighting, and the Oppression Olympics - YouTube Identity politics can be one tool we use to override our discomfort with others and instead draw together… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/29/no-co mpetition-of-hierarchies-should-prevail-identity-politics-strategic-essentialism-rhizomes-punk-and-oppression-olympics/

Changelog: Equity is not compatible with deficit ideology because the function of deficit ideology is to obscure the actual causes of disparities. We updated “Deficit Ideology”, “Structural Ideology”, and “Equity” with quotes from Paul Gorski and “Fix Injustice, Not Kids and Other Principles for Transformative Equity Leadership”. Equity is not compatible with deficit ideology because the function of deficit ideology is to obscure the actual causes of disparities. Paul… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/26/chang elog-equity-is-not-compatible-with-deficit-ideology-because-the-function-of-deficit-ideology-is-to-obscure-the-actual-causes-of-disparities/

The Double Empathy Problem in the Workplace: More Autistic Employees Accurately Interpret the Behavior of an Autistic Employee Than Non-Autistic People The Double Empathy Problem and Perceptions of an Autistic Employee in the Workplace by @KASzechy et al found that more autistic employees accurately interpret the behavior of an autistic employee than non-autistic people Autism In Adulthood on Twitter "Autism and Employment Challenges: The Double Empathy Problem and… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/25/the-d ouble-empathy-problem-in-the-workplace-more-autistic-employees-accurately-interpret-the-behavior-of-an-autistic-employee-than-non-autistic-people/

We created a “Monotropism Questionnaire” landing page for our site. https:// stimpunks.org/monotropism-ques tionnaire/ It includes the text of the questionnaire. One of the motivations for creating this page is to translate the questions and supporting info into a bunch of languages using our AI + human translation system (wpml.org). Before we pay for translations and text-to-speech, feedback and iteration on the page is welcome. #MonotropismQuestionnaire #monotropism

Three Therapeutic Approaches to Supporting Autistic People in Healthcare Settings We adore the Resources Library at Neurodiverse Connection. It’s very well curated. Their collection of therapeutic approaches lists three great resources that we’ve recommended often and recommend again here. Three Therapeutic Approaches to Supporting Autistic People in Healthcare Settings: Autistic SPACE: a novel framework for meeting the needs of autistic people in healthcare settings —… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/24/three -therapeutic-approaches-to-supporting-autistic-people-in-healthcare-settings/

Participatory research requires us to participate. We just added a new page on our website that lists current studies, questionnaires, and calls for papers we recommend joining. https:// stimpunks.org/research/partici pate/ What should we add to this list? All locales welcome.

Changelog: Ableism is what makes all other “isms” effective We updated our Ableism glossary page with this distilled truth from Imani Barbarin. Ableism is what makes all other “isms” effective… White supremacy is the goal, ableism is the toolkit. @ImaniBarbarin on Twitter Ableism is a closed loop of a system. .@ImaniBarbarin on Twitter Our ableism glossary page opens with this definition from Talila A. Lewis… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/21/chang elog-ableism-is-what-makes-all-other-isms-effective/

Neurodiversity and Solarpunk are two of the most powerful ideas of our age, and their time is now. https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/15/solar punk-aims-to-cancel-the-apocalypse/ #neurodiversity #solarpunk

“Language is also a place of struggle.” —bell hooks “Thinking differently requires speaking differently.“ —George Lakoff “Develop a language in which they can both understand and challenge the world in which they live.” —Henry A Giroux Our glossary is at 239 terms. https:// stimpunks.org/glossary-list/

IowaWTF: We are living in a paradigm shift in the world of activism and advocacy, and the youth are here to change things up whether you like it or not. Each year at the Conference to Restore Humanity, one of the keynotes is by a student group. Fighting for a Just Future w/ lowa WTF IowaWTF is a community of students fighting against hateful and harmful legislation in Iowa. I like how they organize. Table of Contents Competency Networks Passion and Values Community… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/16/iowaw tf-we-are-living-in-a-paradigm-shift-in-the-world-of-activism-and-advocacy-and-the-youth-are-here-to-change-things-up-whether-you-like-it-or-not/

Solarpunk aims to cancel the apocalypse. “SOLARPUNK: Life in the future” is great long form scrollytelling akin to what we try to do here on our website. We updated our Solarpunk glossary page with selections from it. Solarpunk aims to cancel the apocalypse. SOLARPUNK: Life in the future Solarpunk is Punk after all SOLARPUNK: Life in the future Solarpunk as a movement is building new futures in the minds of individuals but also creating and inspiring communities to DIY… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/15/solar punk-aims-to-cancel-the-apocalypse/

We enjoyed the “Rebellion by Design: Antiracism and UDL” track facilitated by @FritzTesha at the Conference to Restore Humanity 2023, hosted by @humrespro . It inspired a few pieces, and counting. - https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/04/chang elog-engage-with-the-epistemic-disruptions-that-are-necessary-if-we-are-to-change-the-world/ - https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/11/the-a ct-of-listening-work-that-does-not-honor-what-a-community-says-is-colonial/ - https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/14/excee ding-least-restrictive-environment-with-niche-construction-and-the-honor-of-legibility/ #UDL

Exceeding Least Restrictive Environment with Niche Construction and the Honor of Legibility UDL creates a learning environment that is the least restrictive and most culturally responsive, trauma-informed environment for all students .If Equity is a Priority, UDL is a Must | Cult of Pedagogy In our little community of neurodivergent and disabled people, we try to go beyond "least restrictive environment" via “niche construction”. Here’s how we define that: https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/14/excee ding-least-restrictive-environment-with-niche-construction-and-the-honor-of-legibility/

Changelog: Presume Competence. “Nonspeaking” or “Nonverbal”? We updated “Presume competence. Never assume that the ability to speak equals intelligence.” with a selection from “AAC and autism resources | This Is Not About Me”. Presuming competence is essential to inclusive education. When we presume competence, we assume that everyone can think and learn. This is often called, the “least dangerous assumption” tied to the most basic pillar of medicine to first do no… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/12/chang elog-presume-competence-nonspeaking-or-nonverbal/

You don’t want to make communication an elite thing. You don’t want to make communication an elite thing. And I think that’s really a lot of what punk was about — a hands on, do what you want, of the people type of a thing. Anita Smith, Fifth Column, Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution We agree. That quote ties together our love of multi-modal communication and punk DIY bricolage. https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/11/you-d ont-want-to-make-communication-an-elite-thing/

Autism Professionals: Have you heard of monotropism? Not once in my ADOS training did they ever cover the topic of monotropism. That means people are getting trained to diagnose autism without a full understanding of the most important theory related around autism. Monotropism. Have you even heard of it? @playspark@tiktok Header art: "Attention Tunnel" by Betsy Selvam is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 Likewise, SpEd (and GenEd) educators are being trained in autism… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/11/autis m-professionals-have-you-heard-of-monotropism/

The Act of Listening: Work that does not honor what a community says is colonial. Work that does not honor what a community says is colonial. The act of listening is really, really powerful. Keynote: The Game Has Changed - Cornelius Minor | CTRH! 2023 - YouTube The Game Has Changed - Cornelius Minor | CTRH! 2023 Those lines from Cornelius Minor’s keynote at the Conference to Restore Humanity remind me of a saying in disability and neurodiversity communities: https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/11/the-a ct-of-listening-work-that-does-not-honor-what-a-community-says-is-colonial/

Meerkat Mode, Monotropic Split, and Monotropic Spiral Tanya Adkin and David Gray-Hammond are doing great work furthering our understanding of atypical burnout, monotropism, and the intersections of the two. Tanya’s conceptions of Meerkat Mode, Monotropic Split, and Monotropic Spiral really resonate with me. We created new glossary pages and updated our Monotropism and Burnout pages with selections from their work: What is meerkat mode and how does it relate to AuDHD? https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/09/meerk at-mode-monotropic-split-and-monotropic-spiral/

We don’t prepare students for a world of potential oppression by oppressing them. “Better Get Used to It” is violence. We applaud our children for surviving a ruthless system as if it is an initiation into being a functional human being. Malaika Mahlatsi We don't prepare students for a world of potential oppression by oppressing them. How to Ungrade | Jesse Stommel Observation: The more that someone emphasizes the need to “prepare kids for the real world,” the less… https:// stimpunks.org/2023/08/04/we-do nt-prepare-students-for-a-world-of-potential-oppression-by-oppressing-them-better-get-used-to-it-is-violence/