Only in the past few years have I come to realize I’m on the autism spectrum. It’s not like I didn’t notice—I’ve always been 100% certain about my neurodivergent status—I just didn’t have the diagnosis or vocabulary for it early on in life. There’s a lot more I’ll say on this at another time. For now, I’m self diagnosed and exploring resources that help me understand myself better. I’ve found so many sources of comfort and validation in the experiences of other neurodivergents, and I hope you do, too.
Info-Based
As you learn about the topic of autism, you’ll find out that there’s been quite a gender gap in most autism studies. There’s also racism, classism, and ableism in what’s considered foundational research and practice in autism. To this day, we are all under-served by the lack of diversity and understanding. So, I choose books with inclusive, accepting, and celebratory outlooks on the subject, especially if they’re written by someone in the medical field. Outdated information and shame helps no one—we can only be fully informed if we hear diverse perspectives that can better inform research and treatment.
Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition: Understanding Life Experiences from Early Childhood to Old Age by Sarah Hendrickx
This one opened emotional and mental doors for me. It got my specific list of health problems and sensory issues! The way I think and the way I am! How I felt growing up! It was a lot to take in. I’m angry this context arrived so late in my life (shut up—I’m 38 going on 108), but happy to have it at all. I had to take several breaks to process how strongly I related to the experiences shared by other autistic women in this book. I have no doubt I’ll pick this up again throughout my life.
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, and Unmasking for Life: The Autistic Person’s Guide to Connecting, Loving, and Living Authentically by Devon Price, PhD
Many books on autism are based on outdated frameworks focused on men and young boys—some even purport that autism is something we should hope to cure. What I love about Devon Price is that he writes inclusively. Price is trans, so all of his work has the LGBTQ+ community at heart, paying attention to how our healthcare system fails us based on sexuality, race, class, gender, and more. He is autistic himself and shares his own experiences of navigating shortcomings in our healthcare system. Price encourages readers to celebrate their differences and find creative ways to apply them in life, freeing ourselves of the notion that we are too different to have a meaningful place in society. I love that Price’s approach focuses on unmasking to improve quality of life and explores ways we can think outside the box to improve autistic healthcare.
Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You Jenara Nerenberg
Nerenberg covers a variety of neurodivergence in this book with a little extra emphasis on autism. I thought it would be more instructional based on the full title, more like Price’s Unmasking for Life. But the focus of this one was more tuned into what thriving could look like with changes to public health, and what it currently looks like from the perspectives of the people Nerenberg interviewed. Interviewees include medical researchers, therapists, etc. There are some suggestions for thriving, but it’s mostly aspirational and observational. That said, it’s fascinating, validating, and socially conscious. A good read for sure.
We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia
This was one of the first books I picked up about autism and I’m glad for it. Garcia noticed she shortcomings of how we portray autism in society, and has worked to dispel myths and give a platform to the most often ignored voices.
Memoirs
It’s hard to review memoirs, so I won’t do individual commentary on these. For me, they were relatable and a good source of validation. I appreciate their willingness to be so forthcoming and emotionally vulnerable while talking about life experiences and relationship evolutions. And I enjoy knowing how autism presents differently in other individuals! It reinforces that autism is a spectrum, and we don’t have to fit into a rigid box to meet the criteria for diagnosis.
- Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby
- But Everyone Feels This Way: How an Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life by Paige Layle
- A Little Less Broken: How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole by Marian Schembari
- But You Don’t Look Autistic at All by Bianca Toeps
- Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
My TBR
- Girl Unmasked: How Uncovering My Autism Saved My Life by Emily Katy
- I am Autistic: An interactive and informative guide to autism (by someone diagnosed with it) by Chanelle Moriah
- The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook: A Neurodiversity Affirmative Approach
- Odd Girl Out by Laura James
- Untypical: How the World Isn’t Built for Autistic People and What We Should All Do About it by Pete Wharmby
- Self-Care for Autistic People by Megan Anna Neff
- Letters to My Weird Sisters: On Autism and Feminism by Joanne Limburg
- Looking After Your Autistic Self: A Personalised Self-Care Approach to Managing Your Sensory and Emotional Well-Being by Niamh Garvey
- Autism Is Not A Disease: The Politics of Neurodiversity by Jodie Hare