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Spectrum Women

Walking to the Beat of Autism

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Spectrum Women

By: Barb Cook - editor, Dr Michelle Garnett - editor, Lisa Morgan - foreward, various
Narrated by: Emily Joyce, Vivien Carter
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About this listen

Barb Cook and 14 other autistic women describe life from a female autistic perspective, and present empowering, helpful and supportive insights from their personal experience for fellow autistic women. Michelle Garnett's comments validate and expand the experiences described from a clinician's perspective, and provide extensive recommendations.

Autistic advocates including Liane Holliday Willey, Anita Lesko, Jeanette Purkis, Artemisia and Samantha Craft offer their personal guidance on significant issues that particularly affect women, as well as those that are more general to autism. Contributors cover issues including growing up, identity, diversity, parenting, independence and self-care amongst many others. With great contributions from exceptional women, this is a truly well-rounded collection of knowledge and sage advice for any woman with autism.

Contributors: Jen Elcheson, Artemisia, Catriona Stewart, Anita Lesko, Liane Holliday Willey, Samantha Craft, Yenn Purkis, Kate Ross, Becca Lory, Renata Jurkevythz, Terri Mayne, Maura Campbell, Dena Gassner and Christine Jenkins.

©2018 Jessica Kingsley Publishers (P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Children's Health Mental Health Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Autism Health Special Need
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Most relevant  
I was super impressed with this book. I will be buying a hard copy as it contains so much valuable information!

Inspiring and Informative.

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Newly diagnosed ASD at 33. This book made made me feel proud to be autistic and helped me and my partner come to terms and process my diagnosis. Loved it, ladies. Well done!!!

Simply WONDERFUL

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I'm off to find my tribe, even if it is online and strictly by newsletter - for now. This book has been a huge help. THANKYOU to everyone involved in its production. It's one of the better ones, especially being Australian.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

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A wonderful book on so many subjects on Autistic women, written by Autistic women. Many of them late diagnosed and understand and validate our experience with gentle, concise, audie langauge.
Thank you to everyone who wrote for this book.
If you're a late diagnosed ASD woman, you need this book.
Validate the heck out of your self.

ASD women+ This book is what we needed!

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I received even more insights into my own Autism from this book. It is clear however that a deep, expansive, and correct understanding of gender outside the binary was not sought, even on 2017 standards. My gender is not a pathology, nor is it especially fluid.

Good insights, simplistic understanding of gender

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Despite being a collection of voices, all are low support needs, most identify as Aspergers, and most have made reference to autism not being a disability. All of which makes for a very limited set of experiences for an anthology. The chapter on gender and diversity was basically just about how she was a ‘tomboy’, other chapters made reference to gender as a binary. And finally, the mail in the coffin for me, in the chapter on personal relationships, the author says this:

“For individuals on the autism spectrum to entertain the idea of getting married, you must be realistic and be sure each person has quite a good level of independent functioning. Both should have a job.”

Ummm wtf is this ableist bs?! So an autistic person with support needs shouldn’t have intimate relationships? Someone who doesn’t or can’t work shouldn’t entertain the idea of marriage?! I rarely rate books I don’t finish, but I’m honestly appalled.

Appalling

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.