Many people with autism find navigating a world not designed for them a difficult task. They are forced to spend much of their lives trying to fit in – but what if it is the “neurotypical” majority who should adapt?
In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we are joined by iMoney and Business Editor Jessie Hewitson to talk about the way her view of the condition has changed dramatically in the years since her son’s diagnosis.
In the 90s, advocates for a better understanding of autism attempted to reverse the conversation around it, coining the phrase “neurotypical syndrome” – describing “sufferers” as following “impossible social rituals”, finding it “difficult to communicate directly” and lying far more often than autistic people. It’s an idea that Jessie has warmed to.
Through the process of writing her book Autism: How to raise a happily autistic child she came to appreciate the need to reframe neurodivergence – and look beyond the contradictions of the non-autistic world.
One of the people who transformed her view was Laura James – an author and journalist whose autism was only diagnosed in her forties. She joins us to give a unique insight into why neurotypical people should try and “be more autistic”.
Read Jessie's writing here: https://inews.co.uk/author/jessie-hewitson
Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.
Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.
Check out their music here.
https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/
https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/
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