I’m so excited to announce that The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy is now available for pre-sale! This guide represents the advice of over 100 Autistic people and honors the authority of personal experience and Autistic expertise.
The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy takes an in-depth look at the key elements of effective, respectful, inclusive advocacy and allyship. Every topic was chosen, shaped, and informed by #ActuallyAutistic perspectives.
The step-by-step guide discusses various aspects of how autism is perceived, explores how best to speak up for individual needs, and introduces advocacy for the wider autistic community. Each step outlines one vital aspect of advocacy and allyship, such as emphasizing acceptance, avoiding assumptions and assuming competence. The advice and strategies laid out in this guide center the wisdom and experiences of Autistic people and enable the reader to confidently speak up with insight and understanding.
This book will inspire well-intentioned parents to better align their advocacy behaviors with the desires of the Autistic community. We hope this book helps Autistic people feel like their voices are being heard. We hope they feel empowered to become even more confident self-advocates and believe in a more accepting future that embraces neurodiversity.
The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy: Step-By-Step Advice on How to Ally and Speak Up with Autistic People and the Autistic Community is now available through Jessica Kingsley Publishers and on Amazon.
The Authors
Dr. Jennifer Elizabeth Brunton is a neurodivergent academic turned freelance writer and editor. She is an academic with extensive writing and editing experience from a variety of diverse publications. She also runs the neurodiverse parenting and advocacy blog, Full Spectrum Mama.
Jenna Gensic is a freelance writer and disability advocate. Jenna is the author of What Your Child on the Spectrum Really Needs: Advice From 12 Autistic Adults, and she manages the Learn from Autistics website and regularly engages with the autistic community and shares Autistic expertise. She has an Autistic brother and son and writes and speaks about parenting issues related to prematurity, cerebral palsy, and autism.
Reviews
“The disability model needs to be eliminated and autistic abilities in music, art, math, and memory should be celebrated. This book will guide advocates and help change negative perceptions of autism. Guidance from autistic people is essential for understanding how autistics perceive the world differently.”
– Temple Grandin, author and advocate
“The #ActuallyAutistic Guide thoughtfully presents a wide range of Autistic voices seeking to shape advocacy and allyship strategies that will not only improve the lives of neurodivergent people, but also make the world a better place for everyone.”
-John Elder Robison, #ActuallyAutistic, NY Times Bestselling Author of Look Me in the Eye
“An essential social justice tool for our times.”
— Samantha Craft (aka Marcelle Ciampi), M.Ed., author of Everyday Aspergers, International Neurodiversity Educator and Consultant
“A tremendous resource that takes much of the ponderous burden of self-advocacy off our
Autistic shoulders. Instead of burning myself out, explaining the same things over and over, I
can hand a copy of this book to my supervisor, professor, clients’ parents, or potential friends
and partners.”
— Maxfield Sparrow, Autistic Direct Support Professional and editor of Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words