Why do you think representing autistic people in the LGBTQ+ community is so important?
It’s nice to read something or see something and relate to it. It’s a reminder that you are not the only one and there are other people like you. This goes for a lot of things.
For me, seeing other LGBTQ+ people made me realise that I was like them, and that I didn’t just dislike men, I liked women instead. Autistic people might not understand social convention, but a lot of us mimic it in a bid to act ‘normal’. Representing people like us who are queer can help us realise, ‘oh, I’m not incapable of romance, I’ve just been looking at the wrong set of people’.
How do you usually celebrate Pride and what do you enjoy most about it?
I enjoy marching in the parade every year, despite the crowds. It reminds me that my rights as a queer person came from protest. The fight isn’t quite over yet either, especially on the trans front (and non-binary people like me aren’t legally recognised yet), so it’s good to still march for that. The march can be quite overwhelming though, so I don’t tend to stick around much longer after that.
I don’t know if I’ll celebrate virtually this year, as I don’t really party during Pride. I usually march, go round collecting badges and then go home! Maybe I’ll just hang my Pride flag out the window.
How do you think LGBTQ+ spaces and parades can better accommodate autistic people?
I think there is still a lot to be done for access at Pride, not just for autistic people, but all disabled people. This includes things like making information available early, including timings, a map of where the march will start and end, the events and where will be busy, toilets and quiet spaces available. Being able to plan ahead of time is quite important to a lot of autistic folk.
Pride is a big event, and the crowds can be overwhelming. Quiet spaces should be available, clearly signposted and easy to get to. I remember waiting in a queue to get into a crowded area just to get to the quiet space. I had to give up and later had a meltdown that was preventable.
There also need to be community spaces outside of bars and clubs. Some steps are happening towards that. One of my favourite places to go before lockdown was Category Is Books in Glasgow - a queer bookshop where they run lots of community events that are accessible. I went to the craft group every month and was starting to make connections before lockdown.
How are you coping with the current COVID restrictions? Any advice for those who may be struggling?
I have sort of mourned the loss of my old routine - it sounds silly, but I really miss sitting on the train on my morning commute to university, looking out the window, listening to my music and having my cup of tea.
I’m settling in now, and I’m working from home over summer so that should reintroduce some routine. Just now, I’m using a whiteboard pinned up by my door with tasks for each day written out on bits of paper (so I can reuse them week by week and so I’ve got some choices). At the moment, it’s mainly just ‘draw’ and ‘exercise’, but it gives me a sense of routine and structure. I would also say following the same morning and night routine has been good - the world could be on fire but I’d still shower, then get dressed, then go down for breakfast!
I've also been going to the Glasgow National Autistic Society online social groups, which keeps me busy! You can find out more about Glasgow social groups here.
This is a difficult time, so don’t beat yourself up about behaving ‘more autistic’ or struggling with things you wouldn’t normally find hard.
