Extract from my nostalgic monologue at the start of the 5 Years of Ausome Charlie online event with David Gray-Hammond, Katie Munday and Quinn Dexter on 8 June 2023 (see YouTube link at the bottom). “I have been flicked through the old tweets on my Ausome Charlie Twitter. I had been on Twitter longer, butContinue reading “5 Years of Ausome Charlie Transcript Extract”
Category Archives: Inclusion
Neurodivergent school kids with interoception and proprioception issues
Neurodivergent school kids with interoception and proprioception issues. I received this message this morning, from my friend Angela Loynd, of Umbrella Alliance: ‘I heard yet another story today about a young autistic girl refused a toilet break during class time at school, who then ended up wetting her pants as a result. I’m so sickContinue reading “Neurodivergent school kids with interoception and proprioception issues”
Neurodiversity is Neurological Diversity
Don’t worry about avoiding the word ‘neurodiversity’ after recent events. It is, after all, simply a portmanteau of ‘neurology’ and ‘diversity’, just like ‘biodiversity’ is just a portmanteau of ‘biology’ and ‘diversity’. Just like ‘ausome’ is just a portmanteau of ‘autistic’ and ‘awesome’ 😎 In Alice Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll, Humpty DumptyContinue reading “Neurodiversity is Neurological Diversity”
Neurodiversity and intersectionality
On neurodiversity (the uniqueness of all human brains) and intersectionality: We are each an individual product of our neurology and physiology and our life experiences. No human fits any neat pigeonholes, so let’s treat all individuals humanely, whatever their characteristics. Why not offer “reasonable adjustments” to all individuals, so they can all thrive at work. Continue reading “Neurodiversity and intersectionality”
Sharing pronouns
Charlie specifies her pronouns in their auto-signature, on social media, in meetings. Here is what her pronouns mean to them and why she shares them, in Charlie’s words: “She/they”, sometimes expressed as “she/her or they/them”, means that I do not mind being referred to using the traditional female pronouns or gender-neutral alternatives. Although I do identify asContinue reading “Sharing pronouns”
What I enjoy doing outside work
I enjoy singing guest vocals in my husband’s band from time to time. I play acoustic guitar and sing. I am a keen run leader (England Athletics-qualified Leader in Running Fitness) and I teach people to run (Couch to 5K) and help them keep running regularly, in my village social running group Alvechurch Running Buddies.Continue reading “What I enjoy doing outside work”
Autistic burnout at work
I can get easily overwhelmed, eventually tipping into autistic burn out – especially when I have to work on two different projects at the same time, with conflicting priorities, too many instructions communicated verbally, and long project meetings in which I am self-conscious of my meeting behaviours, which is draining. Autistic burnout manifests exactly likeContinue reading “Autistic burnout at work”
How my neurotype affects me at work
I have what you call a spiky profile, which means instead of being competent at everything I am highly skilled in some areas of work and challenged in other areas. Autism and ADHD (AuDHD) are “dynamic” disabilities for me, so some days I am on very good form (hyper-productive, in a “flow state”) and otherContinue reading “How my neurotype affects me at work”
Neurodiversity inclusion tips
We all have unique strengths and challenges, so understanding these is key because everyone has specific accessibility and support needs. Autism, for example, is a spectrum condition, which means that it affects people in different ways. It is unhelpful to stereotype people based on their neurological condition, so please do not make assumptions about whatContinue reading “Neurodiversity inclusion tips”
Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week is upon us. Personally, I handle this by self-advocating away any toxic positivity. I don’t plaster on a fake smile like this one. Instead, I tell people how I really am. If they don’t care, why ask? We need to tackle the causes of mental health challenges, not jolly our mentalContinue reading “Mental Health Awareness Week”
Ausome Charlie 