Welcome to the Autistic Community

by Autistic Self Advocacy Network (Contributor)

This book is about what it means to be a part of the autistic community. Autistic people wrote this book. Some autistic people are just learning about their autism. We wanted to welcome them and give them a lot of important information all in one place.

This book talks about what autism is and how it affects our lives. It talks about our history, our community, and our rights. We wrote this book in plain language so that more people can understand it.

We wrote this book for autistic people, but anyone can read it. If you are not autistic, this book can help you support autistic people you know. If you are wondering whether you might be autistic, this book can help you learn more. If you are autistic, think you might be autistic, or if you want to better understand autistic people, this book is for you.

Welcome to the autistic community!

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Disability

136 pages, ebook

Published April 21, 2020

Reviews

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

this lil book is a great resource. it's straightforward, well-organized, and written in accessible language. and best of all, it's available free online, which makes it very easy to share with anyone who might need a particular piece of information.

the section on self-advocacy is very helpful - i love that it gives specific examples of ways to advocate for yourself. i also loved the sections on finding an autistic community and on being a better ally.

for such a brief book, it's fairly repetitious, but as a short primer on autism, it does its job and is surprisingly comprehensive. the emphases on diversity, intersectionality, and justice are also much appreciated. you can read it here.

[Ada Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've often lamented that there aren't a lot of good, comprehensive 101 resources to send to someone who is just beginning to question that they might be autistic or who is newly diagnosed. This book fits that need really well. It's written in plain language that would be appropriate for a person with cognitive disabilities, reading difficulties, or for a child - and it covers social justice topics (as well as more basic information about, for example, autistic traits) that are difficult and important.

It's also freely available as a web resource as well as a book, so anyone with a browser can read.

[Erin Moe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely basic and can get repetitive. I could see this being good for someone who knows absolutely nothing about autism. It's a decent starter book. I'd say about half meant for autistic folks and half meant for others (family, friends, allies).

[Melissa Dally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great intro to autism for anyone. I will share it with people who need an explanation when they find out I am autistic. I have only recently realized (I'm in my early 40s) that I am autistic and have always been.

[zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread my diagnosis and oftentimes it feels that the majority of autistic people don't have a place in society. autistic people can do great things, like temple grandin and david byrne. it's ok not being able to great things/be the best at something. all autistic people want to be accepted in society is the goal, really. regarding not having a place in society is because autistic people, just like everyone else, are required to conform and perform for the market. I should still have a great life even though i haven't done things that the two aforementioned people have done, but only if I produce capital until my mid 60s (if not longer!).

after a quick search, multiple sources say that the autistic unemployment rate is around 80%. I can't speak on other autistic people's experiences, but i've been unemployed once and it's not fun. it's not fun masking for an interview either. if you don't get to clock in for the boss, it's our loss. there is no social safety net for autistic people, and millions of others in america, to ensure that people can have food, water, health care (including mental health services), and a roof over their head.

the existence of the section 14c work program in america, the program that has autistic people and other people with disabilities in "sheltered workshops" (sheltered from law!) and pay as little as 22 cents an hour should be all the information one needs to know how america feels about not only workers, but workers with disabilities. not only is america incapable of codifying roe v wade, they are also incapable of codifying the Olmstead decision. the ADA, the 40 hour work week, and other disability+workers rights, are nothing but minor concessions to ensure autistic people, disabled people, and neurotypical people remain wage slaves our entire lives. "the existence of a class which possesses nothing but the ability to work is a necessary presupposition of capital." - karl marx. autistic people can and should be able to have families, friends, participate in anything, engage and have interests. due to the present structure, this must always come second.

our capitalist system does benefit the working class, including autistic people.

be nice to people. be nice to autistic people.

[Jessica López-Barkl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short/lovely introduction to the autistic (identity-first) community. The self-advocates. It is a helpful overview from the perspective of autistic people and building a strong/connected minority group.

It is helpful as a mother, and when my daughter is ready to read it, I will give it to her.

One quote I liked was this one:

"Executive functioning problems can feel like being lazy, but having problems with executive functioning problems want to do something, but we might not be able to without help...Executive functioning problems can feel like riding a stubborn horse. No matter what you want, the horse ignores you! If you want the horse to run forward, it stays still. If you want the horse to stop, it keeps running. If you want the horse to change directions, it keeps going forward. In this example, the horse is your brain and body. You might want to do something, but you just can't do it." (17)

[Rabia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the Autistic Community is such a great introductory resource for those trying to gain a basic understanding of the autism spectrum. This book gets a bit repetitive but it's written in an easy-to-read manner. If the reader is a child or adult who has trouble with reading comprehension, intellectual difficulties or cognitive issues this book may suit them well. I recommend this to anyone on the beginning stages of their autistic realization, starting to suspect they're autistic, wanting to be an ally to the autistic community or just wanna gain more understanding about the autism spectrum give this book a read or at least add it to your To-Be-Read (TBR) list. As the saying goes, "Nothing about us, without us." The best source of information on autism is from actually autistic individuals. Welcome to the Autistic Community is THAT source!

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

A motto of the self-advocacy movement is “Nothing About Us, Without Us!”. Lots of people talk about us without letting us talk. We should always be part of the conversation, and be in charge of our lives.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Good to read resources from within.

We’ve traced the call. It’s coming from inside the house!

– brought to you by the letter E, for Echolalia

More seriously, it’s an interesting (and quick (and free)) read. Worth learning a bit more about what autism is (and isn’t). It certainly gets a bit repetitive at times and there was a large part that wasn’t new to me–but your milage will almost certainly vary.

If you or someone you know or care about is autistic, it’s probably worth a read.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like other readers have noted, this is a very simple introduction to a number of concepts, concerns, and commonly used words. It is written plainly for more accessibility. I'm a scholar and know lots of 'big words,' but I see no issue with this being written the way it is. Quite honestly, we need to be including those of us not as commonly represented in writing and books. So, rock on. I appreciated the section breaks and the clear single topics. This will be an easy reference to go back to. Very 101, but also recommended for folks who need it, or are new to the community, or are trying to figure out how to unlearn some of what society has taught, and to be allies.

[Jessica DMJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would really give this book a 2.5. It was okay, but too repetitive for me. Seeing as short as it was, I didn't see the need for all the repetition it had. Honestly, the way it was written didn't help either (lots of simple sentences, which made it monotonous). But maybe the style was intended to make it more accessible. It might be good for people who don't know anything about autism. It has a lot of intersectional information, which is good. I would recommend this as a starter book.

[Jasmin S.]

Brief, simplified and often repetitive, but still a really great starting point for everyone who wants to learn about autism. It's written in plain language to make it accessible for everyone. And each chapter comes with linked resources to deepen the knowledge presented. (USA centered)

You can download the book here for free.

[char · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great and basic introduction to autism, written clearly and with multiple formatting options for increased accessibility. It may come across as too basic for some, but each chapter ends with a handful of linked resources for deeper learning.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book easy to read and informative. It was a little more brief than I wanted, but it also provided links to resources at the end of each chapter.

Looking forward to learning more.

[Maira Ezerins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit simplistic and at times repetitive, but it offers a lot of resources and it is a very easy to understand and quick introduction to autism issues.

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had this book when I first learned I may be autistic. It's kinda repetitive but I don't mind.

[Bre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro to autism for kids/tweens, and some EXCELLENT resources for allies, families, and others.

[Ivy Blackberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy util y un abrazo para quienes reciben su diagnóstico y para quienes acompañan a quien reciben su diagnóstico.

[Mel Hazell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good information. Nice explanations that are clear. Good for allies to read to understand

1.5hrs

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely basic, don’t feel like I learnt much. Felt more like a webpage summary write-up (which it sort of is) but packaged as a “book”. Will try other books instead.

[MKmuses · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple introduction written at a high school level, good start for young readers.

[Kit Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my Autism and Neurodivergence class. Written in plan language, provided examples, and was super accessible. Love love love

[Juli]

https://autismacceptance.com/table-of...

[Dori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful resource!

[PeachyQ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm recently diagnosed and this is the best resource I've found so far ♾