Um…Eurovision is amazing.

I walked back to the Hungarian Parliament at about 1:00am this morning. There were still tens of thousands of young Hungarians hugging, dancing, (yes, drinking), and celebrating democracy.

I happened to arrive in Budapest on the last day of the 16-year Viktor Orbán regime. Today, I watched as Peter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s new Prime Minister.

I think my first time at INSAR I met ONE autistic autism researcher. At #INSAR2026, there aRE HUNDREDS. 💕♾️🙌

The nearest metro station is about a two block walk from my hotel in Prague. BUT… I just discovered there is an accessible elevator next to my hotel lobby that takes you DIRECTLY TO THE TRACKS! A rather personal use of the #CurbCutEffect, but still proves the effect nonetheless. #INSAR2026

Very excited to be listening to Dr. Damian Milton give they keynote presentation at #INSAR2026! Dr. Milton just made the point that the #DoubleEmpathy problem could be applied to any two people. 🙌 How true. We all would do well to pause and seek to understand where another person is coming from.

I’ve spent way too much time at #INSAR2026 looking across the street and wondering as to whether or not this is a deliberate pun.

I’m begging conferences to provide printed programs and clear signage onsite and not just rely on apps. I honestly cannot cognitively follow the schedule in the #INSAR2026 app, nor figure out where to go, nor tell what is a session, poster presentation, or something else.

It’s encouraging to see a packed room for the Autistic People’s Views panel (@drstevenkapp.bsky.social) at #INSAR2026. I’ll note the majority here are YOUNG autism researchers (not veterans). That’s such an apt commentary on the past/current state of autism research, but also its hopeful future.

Great thread about #ProfoundAutism languaging at #INSAR2026

Brian Irvine@brianirvine.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The autistic folk with a learning disability that I’ve met and known over the last 20 years do not deserve to have such an unthought through label thrust upon them. They are not cut off from joy or love. And that’s why the neurodiversity movement rocks; it speaks of difference not despair.

David Mandell is presenting at #INSAR2026 about the effects of U.S: autism insurance mandates on services delivered. I’m curious about the breakdown of how insurance mandates have increased ABA services, occupational therapy, and speech therapy as separate categories. Not all services are the same.

I’m sitting next to @shannonrosa.bsky.social of @thinkingautism.com at #INSAR2026 in Prague and that makes me endlessly happy.

I say this for myself as much as anyone else, it's ok to not have an expressed thought about every subject.

🙏 To quote @GloriaEstefan, “Go away. Won’t you just go away?! Go away. Don’t you come back one day (Go away. Just go away now)!” “Cause people have the right to party, and you won’t let them have their fun. See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya…” 🇮🇷🦁 #Iran www.thetimes.com/world/middle...

Ayatollah Khamenei plans to flee to Moscow if Iran unrest intensifies

The republic’s supreme leader has plotted an exit route out of Tehran should his forces fail to quell dissent, an intelligence report reveals

thetimes.com

A Western progressive movement that rightly confronts structural racism, sexism, and homophobia seems utterly incapable of confronting, or even acknowledging, structural antisemitism. That does real harm. We must accept responsibility for changing that.

I’ve witnessed far more death and violence than most I know. Empathy, Empathy, Empathy, Empathy is the only truly effective strategy to combat ideas with which we don’t agree.

At breakfast one morning, we heard someone yell for a doctor. Several of our campmates leapt up and rushed to the camp across the street, where they helped deliver a healthy baby girl.

Strangers come together to deliver Salt Lake City couple’s baby girl at Burning Man

A Salt Lake City woman gave birth to a baby girl at the Burning Man festival in Nevada on Wednesday, without knowing beforehand that she was pregnant.

sltrib.com

At #INSAR2025, Drexel University is presenting research on how to effectively adapt cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth. The research team is neurodiverse—including autistic researchers—and it shows in the outstanding quality of their study design. 🙌♾️🔬

Appreciated the research presented this morning at #INSAR2025 (by Drexel University/Michigan State University) on training mental health providers to recognize and reduce the barriers THEY THEMSELVES may create when working with disabled and autistic communities.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think there’s any inherent biological/genetic factor that prevents a person from attending #INSAR2025. Did I miss a poster on that?! Maybe instead of blaming the autistic person we should be examining what WE ARE DOING to prevent their participation.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · last yr.

Delayed side-eye (processing lag): Alison Singer pulled a standard Autism Grievance Parent/"Not Like My Child" maneuver in saying how her kid with #ProfoundAutism couldn't attend #INSAR2025. But accommodations also mean not subjecting folks to stressful events—and finding other ways to participate.

Seattle has a Filipino-Slavic bakery and it is delicious. 🇵🇭🇺🇦

Tremendously encouraged by the wide range of the research posters I viewed today at #INSAR2025. Just a few: Research on autistic pregnancy, menopause, masking, autistic-led training for educators, the impact of autistic-friendly initiatives in Australian airports…lots more.

Singer’s repeated praise for RFK, Jr. and her statement that the Trump Administration is the first “in 20 years” to focus on nonspeaking autistic people and those with complex needs should raise alarms.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · last yr.

Singer says that "we" have heard John's point of view before, but it's not really representative because people like her daughter can't come to this conference. So basically doubling down on Not Like My Child. And also says people in #ProfoundAutims community are encourage by RFK Jr. #INSAR2025

I am all for this session! Of course, I walked in 45 minutes late thinking I was 15 minutes early. Not blaming my #dyscalculia… 😂 #INSAR2025

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · last yr.

Now at #INSAR2025. We are in a #ProfoundAutism SIG being led by people who understand the issues with the term but want to bring people together who have shared interests and I am HERE FOR THIS. -SR

But your agenda is on Signal. 🤷‍♂️

His ignorance of the science is one thing. But the revulsion, fear, and contempt that Secretary Kennedy showed autistic and disabled people on Wednesday was grotesque. He—and the country—would be better off if he unpacked those feelings in therapy, not at a press conference.

Less than two days later, I’m sad to say that this piece is already outdated. The amount of damage that Secretary Kennedy is inflicting on autistic people and families is abhorrent.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · last yr.

There is no better autism policy & advocacy resource than @autisticadvocacy.org Our contributor @johnmarble.bsky.social also wrote about RFK juniors dangerous nonsense for our site: thinkingautismguide.com/2025/04/robe...

Over on Twitter, the Vice President kicks-off #AutismAcceptanceMonth by lying about the Administration’s illegal deportation of the father of a nonspeaking autistic child.

If you aren’t ND, please know that “A neurodivergent person’s way of experiencing the world may differ from yours—but that’s normal. Just as we’ve come to understand variations in the human family, we should also understand neurological variations as ordinary.” @johnmarble.bsky.social: a.co/aIUMzAA

Say howdy if you’re at @sxswedu.com in Austin. I’ll be speaking at 4:00pm Central today in room 10AB (third floor) on a panel about inclusive education and AI.