I decided to make this site more accessimble, by building one single page that holds a link to each and every article. So, here it is: every article available on Autistic Not Weird.
All links open in new windows.
The most popular ones
Results and Analysis of the Autistic Not Weird 2022 Autism Survey
An enormous undertaking which took me several months to process, this survey offers surprising revelations about attitudes and experiences in the autism community. (The previous 2018 survey can be found here, and a much smaller 2015 survey can be found here.)
Growing Up Autistic: 10 tips for teens with Asperger Syndrome or “mild” autism | Patreon supporters’ extension (tips 11-15)
Written specifically for young people, this is by far the most well-received article on this site. (I get email requests for printable versions of it almost every day.) 298,000 views at time of writing.
Fifty pieces of advice from an autistic adult, written for autistic children
For my fiftieth article, I wrote directly to a young audience.
Five ways to damage autistic children without even knowing | Patreon supporters’ extension (points 6-10)
With 358,000 views to date, this is autisticnotweird.com’s most-read article.
When should I tell my child they’re autistic, and how do I tell them?
One of the autism community’s most frequently asked questions.
What to do when your family doesn’t accept autism
One of the autism community’s most common battles.
Information about autism
Asperger Syndrome: 50 important facts about having “mild” autism | Patreon supporters’ extension (points 51-75)
One of my very early articles, with 227,000 views at time of writing.
I just found out I’m autistic. What do I do now?
Written specifically for those who have recently realised (or been told) they’re on the spectrum.
Autistic ‘obsessions’, and why we really, really need them
From dinosaurs to Sonic the Hedgehog, how my interests have helped me become who I am.
Why autistic people struggle with comfort zones, and what can be done about it
Painful to write, but important.
Navigating the autism diagnosis journey as an adult
What I did, what it’s like, and nine important things I learned from it.
Finding employment as an autistic person
Often the odds are against us in the employment world. Here’s some advice on how to navigate it.
The balance between helping autistic people and doing it for them (and how to get it right)
In my opinion, one of the trickiest issues in the book.
Why do autistic people struggle with ‘inappropriate’?
Insight with a load of funny stories attached.
Taking things literally: when being autistic’s actually pretty funny
Because most situations are made better through laughter.
Idioms and autism: how you NEVER “change your mind”
You’d be amazed at how many phrases we think are literal, but aren’t.
Fifty autism facts for World Autism Acceptance Day
An article containing all fifty images, made and shared to ANW on Facebook for World Autism Awareness Day 2021.
50 ways to help autistic people
Similar to the above article, except for World Autism Awareness Day 2019.
Advice for (or about) young people
So, you want to teach autistic students? Here are 12 tips from an autistic teacher.
Advice about autism in the classroom, from a personal and professional perspective.
How to build relationships with your autistic students (and why it’s enormously important)
Another article about autism in the classroom, but specifically about a topic far more important than putting knowledge in people’s heads.
Five tips for autistic students starting college or university
From an autistic guy with three university degrees who cried on his second day.
Autism and exam stress: 10 tips from personal experience | Patreon supporters’ extension (tips 11-15)
Having taken far too many exams and taught students how to pass them too, here’s my advice.
Asperger’s versus the bullies: 8 tips for coping with bullying
The majority of autistic children get bullied. Ugly fact, but it’s true. Here are my tips, alongside a tragic story of what can happen if bullying is not dealt with.
The Stop Rule: teaching children consent through play
Safeguarding children is more than “stranger danger”. It includes teaching them that saying “no” matters.
Anger and growing up: ten tips to beat it | Patreon supporters’ extension (tips 11-15)
Originally written for someone I love, I’ve been given permission to share it with the internet.
How do I stop my child using autism as an excuse?
Autism is usually a perfectly valid reason for people’s struggles. But when people use it as a get-out clause, it needs dealing with.
Ten reasons your autistic child needs to learn chess right now
Despite the tongue-in-cheek title, I’m serious. Chess changes lives.
A survival guide for Year Sixes preparing for their SATs (from an autistic teacher)
British 11-year-olds, this one’s for you.
Awareness, acceptance and dignity
How to raise ACTUAL autism awareness
It’s more than just changing our profile pictures. (The article that preceded the set of talks I gave at the 2017 Autism Shows.)
Respectful autism awareness: how to discuss the struggles without increasing the stigma
Talking about the struggles is important, but we need to avoid being problematic when doing so.
“You have autism? Oh, I’m so sorry.” What to say (and NOT say) to autistic people
Ironically, this contains helpful tips for non-autistic people about how to socialise.
I’m ever so sorry. I really DON’T look autistic.
Sarcasm ahoy!
“Hating autism” and the damage it does
Or why “I love my child but hate their autism” actively harms autistic people.
We need to stop saying “we’re all a little autistic”
If you don’t share someone’s life experience, don’t claim their identity.
To everyone who tells me not to say “autistic person”
A response to those who like to “correct” autistic people’s identity choices.
Ten vital reasons to never, ever share an autism meltdown video
They are not “awareness”. They are abuse, and this is why.
My response to “you’re not REALLY autistic, are you?”
Because I can talk about my autism, there are people who think I’m less qualified to do so. Obviously, this presents an enormous problem for autism awareness.
Why Autism Awareness Month can be traumatising for autistic people
You wouldn’t think it is, but here’s a quick guide to why “autism awareness” is often against us rather than for us.
Ten ten acts of cruelty that would cause outrage if they happened to non-autistic children
“Oh don’t worry. They’re autistic so we can do this.”
My own autism journey
Not an article, but this is me now.
Conversations with my younger autistic selves
I uploaded this on my 30th birthday. A conversation between myself and my past selves: me at 10, 15, 20 and 25. It’s made people cry (in a good way, of course).
Ten years ago today, I learned I was autistic. Here’s how my life changed.
An important reflective piece, uploaded on my tenth autiversary.
11 painful diary quotes from my worst years (and what I learned from each of them)
Self-harm, anxiety, therapy, drunken panic attacks… and how I recovered.
Story of an autistic teacher: encouraging autistic children beyond their “natural limits”
Just how did a guy with a social development disorder become a teacher anyway?
Working abroad with Asperger’s: 10 lessons I learned from Kindercamp
Every year I work with over fifty children on a German beach, despite multiple layers of social difficulty. This is what it’s taught me.
“So… what’s it like being autistic?”
How I felt about being autistic when I launched this site. A very early article from April 2015.
Captain Quirk, and his adventures on the wrong planet
The very first piece I wrote for this site, so desperately outdated that it’s only really here for historical purposes. My whole world has changed since then.
200 things to love about life | Patreon supporters’ extension (points 201-300)
A coping strategy during my teenage years, turned into this site’s happiest article.
Audience participation!
Oh dear.
If you could teach people one thing about autism, what would it be?
A collection of insightful answers.
The poll on Autistic Not Weird’s Facebook page which lay the foundations for a larger and much more beautiful published book.
(Information about the book can be found here – it may be the most positive autism-related book you’ll ever read, and the perfect gift for an autistic young person who feels lonely or isolated. 1,400 copies sold and counting!)
Mental health
How I put anxiety in its place | Patreon supporters’ extension (tips 9-13)
Another important topic. It’s only this far down the list because it’s not specifically autism-related.
Five tips for handling low self-esteem and worthlessness
As above. These issues aren’t autism-specific but let’s be honest, a disproportionate number of us face them.
When you’re “not allowed” to have mental health issues
We may be opening up about mental health, but there’s a long way to go.
Miscellaneous
A brief guide to coping with being different
Difference not just necessary – it’s valuable too. No matter what others tell you.
Twenty tips for autistic writers, from an autistic novelist | Patreon supporters’ extension (tips 21-30)
So many autistic people love creative writing. Here’s my advice to them from experience.
Autism and religion: reconciling logic with faith
How can I believe in the unseen at the same time as having a relentlessly logical mindset?
30 translations for people who struggle with hints
This was a fun one to write.
The labelling issue, by a ‘mildly autistic’ ‘high-functioning’ ‘person with Asperger Syndrome’
Words matter. But in the autism community, they seem to really matter.
Bridging the gap between autistic adults and autism parents
A tale of how watching elevator videos with a child gets us further than arguing with each other online.
Dear perfectionists – it’s ok to do things imperfectly.
Perfectionism has a deceptively positive reputation, when it can actually be a debilitating trait.
How hard can it be to fund a school for disabled children?
An extremely important issue, containing an interview with the headteacher of a beleaguered special school.
Dear Katie Hopkins, I’d rather have my brain than yours
Written back when Katie Hopkins’ deliberately hurtful remarks made national headlines.
A plea to the autism community, from one of your own
Arguing is rife in the autism community. This is me reaching out to all ‘sides’.
An autistic person’s guide to an autism-friendly Christmas
How to deal with the season of Expectation Claus.
Happy reading!
-Chris Bonnello is a national and international autism speaker, available to lead talks and training sessions from the perspective of an autistic former teacher. For further information please click here (opens in new window).
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Copyright © Chris Bonnello 2015-2024
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Review page on Goodreads