The Wildflower Mind

The science of comfort objects When most people think of comfort items, they picture a small child holding a security blanket or stuffed animal they cherish. And to be fair, a lot of children do have a security item when they’re very young. But what some may not…

What neurotypical privilege actually looks like Good morning! Last week I introduced 3 examples of what neurotypical privilege looks like in our modern world. But I also mentioned that I had more to unpack from those samples of neurodivergent life. Unfortunately, it…

What is the double empathy problem? And how do we fix it? One of the most common presumptions of autism is that autistic people lack empathy. The National Autisitc Society’s article “Autism and empathy” claims that this belief stems from a series of works published by…

What neurotypical privilege actually looks like – Part 1 Good morning! Last week, I talked about internalized ableism in the disability/neurodivergent community and my experiences with it. I mentioned how internalized ableism stems from external ableism and insecurity…

Equality, diversity, equity, accessibility, acceptance, inclusion and belonging – what does it all mean? In the online world, I’m noticing a louder and louder call to reform the world so it’s more fair and just for all. These conversations are especially prominent in…

Internalized ableism made me hate myself for being autistic – here’s how I see it now When I was growing up, I desperately wanted to fit in. Which is, for most kids, is a normal childhood experience. I think almost every child dreams of having a lot of friends and…

An exploration of the history and flag of the Disability Pride movement On Monday, I talked about my experiences with LGBTQ Pride in Cincinnati and my dreams for what Disability Pride could look like. But I strongly believe in order to know where you’re going, you…

I recently attended my first LGBTQ PrideFest. Could we do something similar for our pride month? A few weeks ago, I talked about how I wished Disability Pride was recognized and celebrated the same way LGBTQ+ Pride or heritage months are. In that time, I’ve since…

The Fourth of July and similar holidays can easily cause neurodivergent sensory overload. How do we make them more inclusive? This week is going to be a very interesting one for me. Not only was my birthday yesterday, but the Fourth of July is this weekend! With…

Disability is a part of diversity. It’s time we treat Disability Pride like other Prides. Happy Pride Month, neurodivergent fam! Even as a straight cishet woman, I still find LGBTQIA+ Pride such a beautiful thing. It’s so inspiring to see people advocating for their…