What Autism is

Some work by autistic SHU students that demonstrates what autism is to them:  

Autism hasn't always made my life easy. But I don't think the struggles of autism come from a personal failure that I need to overcome with self-improvement, I think they come from living in a world that is unfriendly towards neurodivergent people. It is hard for me to live in a world that is so loud, so bright, so fast. Where I am expected to go against my own nature in order to fit in. I know it isn't only autistic people that feel like I do, and I think we should make the world kinder and more accepting of everyone. I have spent too long cutting myself down to size, making myself more palatable, so I could be swallowed up. I am done fitting in with the world. It is time the world fit me. 

By Kate Duhig

Autistic Staff 

In what follows, autistic members of staff tell us about their autism. 

Library blog - personal perspective

World Autism Acceptance Week

For World Autism Acceptance week (this is normally a week in April each year) we usually organise exhibitions featuring autistic students’ work. Each year we contact autistic students to see if they would like to contribute any work for the exhibition. The expanding collection of work currently consists of artwork, poetry and writing.

More About Autism 

• Short animation from the National Autistic Society demonstrating how an autistic person might experience the world. 
• Information and personal perspectives on autism: Ambitious About Autism
• Interviews and discussions with autistic people: Spectrum Live

Support

If you are an autistic student there is a lot of support available. See the Inclusive Support and Disabled Student Support web pages for more information.