Well Said!

By Helen Said, Autistic advocate Neurodivergent Labor, an organisation which I co-founded in 2017, inputs into Labor Party policy and aims to mentor neurodivergent party members who aspire to one day become election candidates. It's not a matter of whether Autistics will be represented in parliament by one of our own, it's a matter of when . There is already a precedent for Autistic parliamentary representation, with 3 Autistic law makers recently elected to office in the United States, and one self diagnosed Autistic who served as Australia's Deputy Prime Minister from 1996-1999. Autistic election candidates, like any other election candidates, will definitely be aware of how they come across to others as they will represent the party and a government, they will seek to be pre-selected and re-elected and they will need to show they can do the job. Being able to do the job means winning people’s minds and hearts and winning votes. Far from being an act of masking, learni

by Helen Said, Autistic advocate When I was about 8 or 9 years old, I began teaching myself to make eye contact while speaking to people. Before that, when someone spoke to me, especially if it was someone outside the family, I used to turn away and not look at them. Today, avoiding eye contact would be recognised as a likely sign of Autism, but nothing was known about neurodivergence in the 1960s, when I was in primary school.  Nobody forced me to start looking people in the eye. In fact I don't recall anyone having commented about the fact that I didn't make eye contact. Contrary to what some Autistic friends say,  I wasn't "masking" or on the defensive about my different manner.  I just knew I was very shy and I didn't like feeling that way. I noticed that other people seemed to find conversation and making friends easier than I did and I wanted to be able to talk to people more easily. I noticed that other people made eye contact when they spoke to each ot

By Helen Said, Autistic advocate   Seven hundred families in Western Australia are going to take part in a trial of the Inklings pre-emptive intervention program. The babies concerned are between 6 and 18 months old and have a high likelihood of being Autistic. The 10-session Inklings Program uses short videos of a caregiver interacting with their baby to help them to better understand the different ways that their baby communicates their thoughts, feelings and needs. With the guidance of a trained practitioner, caregivers will learn strategies to build on their own strengths as a responsive communication partner for their baby.   I support the Inklings pre-emptive Intervention program for Autistic babies. I am an Autistic advocate and co-founder of Neurodivergent Labor (formerly Spectrum Labor). I have campaigned to end disability discrimination in the migration process and to count Autistics in the National Census. I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree, I am an alumni of Refram