Why not #ProfoundAutism? "I fear a label specific to him—for the purpose of ensuring the world understands how big his challenges are—will make him reconsider his entire perception of himself. A perception accurately grounded in self love and awesomeness." thinkingautismguide.com/2026/08/prof...

“Profound Autism” Isn’t Going to Help the World Love A- the Way He Loves Himself — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

What I want more than anything is a word or a term that will make other people love A- as much as we do, and as much as he does himself.

thinkingautismguide.com

It would be really nice if a single Zoom meeting didn't take up all my energy for the rest of the day, especially when there is another Zoom meeting coming up shortly.

It is easy to think that we might see a surge in measles cases as kids go back-to-school this fall.

Can We Expect a Back-To-School Measles Surge?

It is easy to think that we might see a surge in measles cases as kids go back-to-school this fall.

stopantivaxpropaganda.org

We'll be The National Autistic Society's Anger Translator: "F*** you, Uta Frith—stop trying to use your expired authority on autism to hurt autistic people, you absolute plonker." *Frith published a new paper wrongly claiming autism is overdiagnosed. NAS response: www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/n...

“Without this, people become homeless. They lose their income. They lose their stability. Whatever tiny safety net they had is gone,” @shannonrosa.bsky.social said. “It’s just cruel.” My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

‘Just cruel’: Medicaid halt in California and Minnesota plunges caregivers and disabled people into uncertainty

Shock and fury as Trump administration holds back Medicaid funding to states over alleged caregiving fraud

theguardian.com

To quote @kaybowzie.bsky.social, "My head hurts and I'm mad at the government." Thank you, Melody, for listening to and amplifying the very real fears of our community members who need these disability benefits to keep our loved ones and selves above water. Focus on us, not overblown fraud claims.

Melody Schreiber@melodyschreiber.com · 5d ago

“Without this, people become homeless. They lose their income. They lose their stability. Whatever tiny safety net they had is gone,” @shannonrosa.bsky.social said. “It’s just cruel.” My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

To quote @kaybowzie.bsky.social, "My head hurts and I'm mad at the government." Thank you, Melody, for listening to and amplifying the very real fears of our community members who need these disability benefits to keep our loved ones and selves above water. Focus on us, not overblown fraud claims.

Melody Schreiber@melodyschreiber.com · 5d ago

“Without this, people become homeless. They lose their income. They lose their stability. Whatever tiny safety net they had is gone,” @shannonrosa.bsky.social said. “It’s just cruel.” My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Meet our new roommates, who are doing their best to demonstrate to us that The Very Hungry Caterpillar is more than a children’s book. It is a real way of life. [image: close up photo of three fluffy black-and-Orange anise swallowtail caterpillars chomping on a bunch of parsley.]

PSA: Any time you see Amy Lutz's name in an autism article, please know that article is going to be pushing myths about " #ProfoundAutism," misdirecting parents from useful approaches, painting parents as martyrs, smacking down self-advocates, &/or claiming assisted communication methods are hoaxes.

GET A MAP.

For those of you who have decided you’re going to speak truth to power, even when the power is being irrational. It boils down to being calm, professional, and not answering personal attacks. Dr. Fauci showed all this at his hearings 38 years ago and just this week. buff.ly/P8nfPBw

A personal note from me as prelude to this week's newsletter:

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · 2w ago

Our newsletter is back from hiatus! Today @ejwillingham.bsky.social takes exception to the Autism Science Foundation (ASF) & its coldly manipulative attempt to convince the autism community that ABA therapy is "nicer" now. (Spoiler: It is not.) Pls share & subscribe! buttondown.com/TPGA/archive...

Musk did not just decide not to provide people with life saving aid. He *broke the law* in order to *deny promised aid*. 1

I would like to also point out that my typo tendency is in my bio. Sigh.

Shannon Rosa@shannonrosa.bsky.social · 2w ago

I am tell you this because no one told me this 20 years ago.

I am tell you this because no one told me this 20 years ago.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · 2w ago

Being mad at an autistic person whose experience is different from your experience is like being mad at the moon. It wastes your energy, and it doesn't help anyone. Instead, connect with people who are helpful, and ignore people who aren't helpful. Trust us. We know things. #autism #neurodiversity

Far too many times, men only bring up being #ActuallyAutistic as an excuse for mistreating women. That's a bullshit excuse and it does nothing but spread more stigma around autism. Grateful for @aislingwalsh.bsky.social's piece. archive.is/202507200918...

Guess it's time to revisit my piece on how even nominally progressive mainstream media outlets almost always throw autistic people under the bus—while rarely checking their ableist assumptions, or talking to neurodiversity-informed autistics or researchers: thinkingautismguide.com/2024/06/how-...

How The Progressive Media Sells Out Autistic People — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

When we trust progressive media outlets as both intellectually rigorous and socially just, their ableism goes (dangerously) unchecked.

thinkingautismguide.com

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · 3w ago

No, autism is NOT overdiagnosed. It is *under diagnosed*, especially in autistics who aren't white boys from financially stable families. Anyone who claims we are overdiagnosing autism is either misinformed, or cruel, or both. #autism #neurodiversity

There’s nothing wrong with asking questions about vaccines. Just be open to hearing and acting on the answers we provide.

Questions Anti-Vaccine Influencers Want You to Ask Your Child’s Pediatrician About Vaccines

There’s nothing wrong with asking questions about vaccines. Just be open to hearing and acting on the answers we provide.

stopantivaxpropaganda.org

Guess it's time to revisit my piece on how even nominally progressive mainstream media outlets almost always throw autistic people under the bus—while rarely checking their ableist assumptions, or talking to neurodiversity-informed autistics or researchers: thinkingautismguide.com/2024/06/how-...

How The Progressive Media Sells Out Autistic People — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

When we trust progressive media outlets as both intellectually rigorous and socially just, their ableism goes (dangerously) unchecked.

thinkingautismguide.com

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · 3w ago

No, autism is NOT overdiagnosed. It is *under diagnosed*, especially in autistics who aren't white boys from financially stable families. Anyone who claims we are overdiagnosing autism is either misinformed, or cruel, or both. #autism #neurodiversity

As a contrarian who was a teen during peak Purple Rain, I resisted the lure of Prince as a point of mainstream pop rejection pride. And then Sign O' The Times came out. I have been a true believer ever since. And am listening to the full double album right now.

"We do not know much about why sensory rooms help autistic people, and [before the researches tackled this issue] no one has asked autistic pupils about what they think about sensory rooms."

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · 3w ago

"When a sensory room is used as a reward in a behavior plan, access is controlled by adults. The student has to perform first—even when they aren’t in a state to do so. This is often why meltdowns & shut downs happen." Quoting @julierob-tndc.bsky.social on this: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Yes, Mitch McConnell really did have polio when he was a kid. Shame on Donald Trump, Peter McCullough, and other anti-vaccine influencers who are saying otherwise.

Polio made Mitch McConnell MAHA's enemy

The senator defended vaccines and angered Trump. If only he'd done that more.

motherjones.com

What are your favorite orgs to donate to, if one wants to help bury the sexist, ableist, racist, homophobic, and wholly nasty Heritage Foundation?

Katelyn Burns@katelynburns.com · 4w ago

For my newsletter, I wrote about that Heritage Foundation report calling for a reworking or even the end of Title IX in women's sports. It's a Trojan Horse and we must not welcome it. www.burnsnotice.com/the-heritage...

I have discovered the loudest sound in the world! It is me, walking through the main library and into the only available seat in the Quiet Room, while wearing flip-flops.

I have discovered the loudest sound in the world! It is me, walking through the main library and into the only available seat in the Quiet Room, while wearing flip-flops.

Wondering if anyone else has had issues with monkfruit sugar and/or erythritol affecting your sense of taste and smell after eating it the first time?

"As we know, autism is mostly genetic. In other words, the reason a child is autistic is often because their parents or grandparents are autistic, and they passed on the autism genes." Such truth, wish more parents would understand it. TY, Ann.

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

"There is a multi-billion global autism "cure/ treatment" industry just waiting to exploit parents who are anxious and don’t yet know much about the topic." Grateful to @annmemmott.bsky.social for her useful list of autism “treatment” scams to avoid: www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/news/blog-sc... #autism

There is a spot uphill from our house where you can watch all the fireworks from Oakland to San Jose. People love it! They bring lawn chairs and festive treats. But since I grew up in Anaheim with a fireworks show over my backyard every night all summer long, that’s a meh and a nope from me.

Also, the tour guide told us that he was the seventh of nine children. It was not physically possible for me to refrain from yelling out “that means you are Borg!!” In front of a confused group of tourists.

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

Today my autistic son and I went on a boat tour. There was pressure to take tour photos. He doesn’t like them. He also is mostly nonspeaking. I said “no thank you, that doesn’t work for us.” And did not back down. :) Reader, it has taken me 20 years to be comfortable with setting this boundary. -SR

"As we know, autism is mostly genetic. In other words, the reason a child is autistic is often because their parents or grandparents are autistic, and they passed on the autism genes." Such truth, wish more parents would understand it. TY, Ann.

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

"There is a multi-billion global autism "cure/ treatment" industry just waiting to exploit parents who are anxious and don’t yet know much about the topic." Grateful to @annmemmott.bsky.social for her useful list of autism “treatment” scams to avoid: www.autismcentral.nhs.uk/news/blog-sc... #autism