It can very often feel like there’s an unbridgeable gap in understanding between autistics and neurotypicals, with a frustrating delay in that situation changing anytime soon. This is especially true of organisations with established structures and practices in place, like for example, Arts Council England.
One of the most important things NTs need to grasp is that we are a diverse group of individuals. Another is that by default we approach nearly every aspect of life from a different angle. You can guarantee this, and also that within variety there are commonalities, which make the job of NTs getting their heads around accommodating autistic people a little easier. However, a checklist approach to autistic people just won’t do.
Most salient, I would say, is that we are radically different creatures, and this means we need radical change in order to support us as professionals. The art world needs to catch on to this fast.
You have to go right with us if you want to know all about us – and not many NTs exhibit willingness in this direction. Conversely many of us have spent our lives getting to know NT culture but that’s been about survival. This is why it often feels like autistics have a better handle on the dynamics between us, and also why we often give up on NTs out of disillusionment and exhaustion.
This is why it’s vital for autistic artists to get together – in whatever way we can. Some of us are finding each other on Twitter and enjoy the dipping in and out this affords. It’s relaxed and supportive and pretty funny sometimes. We do have a sense of humour, contrary to stereotype. In fact I’d say that’s a feature of most autistic people I know. We can be hilarious. We’re also empathic to a fault. If you’re having bad day and you let some steam off online, others quickly rally.
I’ve been very lucky lately as several autistic artists have come to me through my work on the difficulty for neurodiverse individuals with both the #Grantium portal and the ACE application process in general.
It’s also been my great good fortune to have followed the incredible Jon Adams – by happy coincidence – almost since my first day on Twitter. Jon and I are now talking, after a nice lengthy build up of contact, and it’s wonderfully affirming. We talk about neurodiversity and change. We talk about the challenge of living in a neurotypical world, and we talk about our art practices.
I learn a great deal from Jon. He has a way of putting things. A turning inside out of the common assumptions society holds.
Jon has been thinking a great deal about the situation as it stands for neurodiverse artists, and has many ideas about what needs to change. It’s immensely gratifying to find we’re on the same page, and our combined autistic traits compliment one another in our efforts, making it possible to work independently and come together too – with no friction or sense that our energies are either scattered or wasted. How and why is this possible?
This is our autistic way of working together. Largely we work things out on our own and signal to one another on the basis of need only. We come together when there is something concrete to say. Don’t take it the wrong way, but we don’t need all that extra signalling that NTs seem to, perhaps because they need reassurance. Mostly we trust and respect one another’s way of doing things. This is because Jon and I recognise each other’s autism as related and this creates an implicit trust, which hardly needs to be spoken.
It’s helping us to work towards strategies with which to lobby for change. This process is also showing us our similarities as artists. Variety and commonality are ever-changing permutations within each autistic being. I find this idea exciting and quite beautiful. The scope of autistic minds and autistic thought is something alien to neurotypicals though, and this is our challenge. As one of my new artist friends Susan Kruse put it so eloquently on Twitter today,
“How can one successfully apply for #art #Opportunities when autism makes communication different?”
The short answer is that we can’t. Not without a colossal effort of translation – as I’ve said before. And often we are doomed to failure.
So it’s simple really. Neurotypicals have to take it from us autistics, because we know what we’re talking about and we have a lot to say. We know that it’s hard to understand autism in all it’s variety and splendour, so let us show you what we’re all about.
I took something precious from my most recent conversation with Jon. Jon talks about neurotypicals taking a leap of faith. We get that you don’t get it. We get that it’s extremely complicated. SO trust us when we tell you there’s problem and allow us to drive the changes that are needed.
These can’t be NT solutions. And they can’t be organised by NTs either. Allow autistics to lead and the results will be spectacular. This way we achieve equality.
The art world will also benefit from some of the most exciting polymath creative brains among the human population.
So consult with us (ACE this means you too!), ask us what we need and give us the support so that we can make it happen.
Go on arts organisations, take a leap of faith.
