Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

thewrite1
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Gender: Female
Posts: 68
Location: U.S.

03 Mar 2015, 4:44 pm

As you may or may not know, April is Autism Awareness Month (and April 2nd Worldwide Autism Awareness Day). To do my part to raise awareness (as both an Aspie and a public health major), I want to write editorial articles about autism for my university's newspaper. I don't know how many articles I'll be writing, but I want to write at least one informing the public about what autism is. Are there any other topics I should cover? Should I do more than one (like 4, with 1 written each week)? General writing tips in regard to this topic?


_________________
I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high-functioning autistic/Aspie. Do your research.


B19
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Gender: Female
Posts: 9,993
Location: New Zealand

03 Mar 2015, 11:34 pm

I would choose barriers to employment, because this issue is way up there in terms of life importance. Would cover issues like - interview barriers, environmental barriers, false stigmas, how ASD people don't play office politics, do their best work alone generally and not in teams, don't do small talk, prefer to be asked closed rather than open questions, and dislike "hinting behaviour" preferring direct rather than indirect communication. Also highlight the fact that some software companies will only recruit HFA because of their excellent pattern detection skills. You could talk about the waste of ASD talent because of stereotypical ideas about workplaces, how to play to ASD strengths, and show that people on the spectrum have needs just like any other employee for a supportive environment.

The second topic I would choose would be "The Big Myths About People with Aspergers". No shortage of material there! Choose 5, say, give each one a separate paragraph, and head each paragraph with a subtitle "The Myth that.."

Hope this helps and good on you for getting proactive on this! Good work!! !



ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,406
Location: Long Island, New York

03 Mar 2015, 11:50 pm

Difference between Autism awareness and Autism acceptance.
Medical model of Autism vs Social model (Autism Speaks, should it be cured, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Autism Rights/nuerodiversity movements)
Difficulties and gifts of being Autistic in a 98% neurotypical world
Autism is more then being socially awkward understanding sensory overload, understanding executive functioning deficits, Understanding autistic special interests
Autism as a spectrum
History of Autism (and Aspergers?)

Labels : Relevance of Functioning labels
"Aspergers", "Aspie" as colloquial terms 2 years after DSM 5
People first vs identity first language

Lack of understanding modern concepts of Autism among psychology and even some Autistic professionals (specifically Autism presentation in adults and females)


_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity

It is Autism Acceptance Month

“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman


Hansgrohe
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 13 Apr 2013
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Posts: 329
Location: Oakland, CA

04 Mar 2015, 7:07 pm

Rant about neurotypical society at large and question commonly accepted ideas and attempt a politically inflammatory speech?

"difference between autism awareness and autism acceptance"

This sounds like a great topic... because there IS a difference.