It is sensory torture for Autistics like me. — I’m curled up in a booth at a local coffee shop, editing a manuscript while I wait out the rain. The place is bustling with activity and lots of loud conversations, which I know to expect, and is usually fine. …

An excerpt from Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity. — When Crystal was young, she exhibited many behaviors psychologists today would recognize as traditionally Autistic: she lined up toys in rows instead of playing pretend with them, chewed on her blanket while staring at the wall, and had trouble understanding in-­jokes and teasing. …

My social media accounts have been on strict lockdown for the last few months. I’ve never known such peace. — I’ve been working on setting better social media boundaries lately. The more my follower count climbed on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the more comments and direct messages I received —and the smaller the percentage of worthwhile messages became. …

Conventional dating “rules” limit us — whether we’re neurodivergent, neurotypical, gay, or straight. — In honor of the upcoming release of my new book, Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, I’ve decided to start my Autistic Advice series back up! I’ve also created an Autistic Advice publication on Medium so readers can easily find all the previous entries, as well as other…

We can’t keep begging our political system for the ‘right’ to exist — Bans on healthcare for trans youth are passing throughout the country. So are bans on trans participation in youth sports, and the acknowledgment of queer people’s existence in classrooms. Until now, I haven’t had the will to write about any of it. …

At the emotional low point of the pandemic, I tried becoming a woman again. — I. Summer When I came out as trans in the summer of 2016, my then-boyfriend was irreproachably supportive. We had one heartfelt conversation about my identity, sitting on the couch in the night, then he shifted into using my new pronouns the very next day, after which he never mistepped. …

If Autism is a neutral source of human diversity, why the hell would we need to diagnose it? — A few weeks ago, I was forwarded an email that the editor of the publication Artfully Autistic had sent to one of their writers. The writer had just finished working on a piece in support of self diagnosis, in which she referenced my work. Artfully Autistic’s editor removed these references…

Interpersonal skills for a proudly disabled life. — For most of my life, I was a very withdrawn and “antisocial”-seeming person. In adolescence I perfected a scowling, sarcastic persona to protect me from seeming too childish and sensitive. I withdrew from other people as a reflex, to hide the fact I didn’t know how to initiate social contact…