378: (UN)Closeting Autism – JR Reed
Shhh. Don’t stare. He’s weird. She’s crazy. They’re not normal. Sounds like something kids say to each other. Yeah right. We adults do that too. Make catty remarks about how some acts, if they are the least bit not like us and don’t blink an eye. But what if that guy, that gal simply was living their life with a side of disability? Ever think that? Sometimes autism it’s not as obvious as you might think. Especially when it comes to the world of Autism. As Dr. Stephen Shore says – “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” That’s how varied the characteristics are that people with autism manifest. There is no one size shoe that fits all, and that’s why we’re bringing autism out of the closet today. Why? Quite simply because the journey out of the closet of Autism is shameful and guilt ridden as the journey out of the closet for being LGBTQ.
JR Reed, my editor over at the Good Men Project is a late bloomer, just like me. Only he bloomed late in life when he was diagnosed with Autism. Yes late in life. Yeah for the late bloomers. JR candidly without shames takes us into the world of Autism with pride and shares his journey to come into his most authentic self, rocking in his purple beard and Autism for all to see. He shares how he manages his autism, and leads a highly productive life, which basically says, “He’s just a normal guy doing normal stuff, with a twist of a disability on the side!”
About JR Reed
J.R. Reed is an author, adult autism advocate, blogger, Podcaster, speaker, nerd, owner of an award-winning purple goatee and proud Aspie. Diagnosed at age forty-six, he grew up most of his life, “Off the Spectrum.” as he talks about in his blog, Not Weird, Just Autistic. J.R. Writes the columns Not Weird Just Autistic, Life With a Side of Disability and That Comic Book Nerd for Good Men Project and does a weekly Not Weird Just Autistic podcast. The author of An Asperger’s Guide To Dating Neurotypicals, J.R. works with those high school age through adult to help them live better lives as well as educates NT’s on who we really are. He’s currently working on the two books, Professor Indigo and the Goblin King, due out summer 2019 and Not Weird Just Autistic (2020) along with the novel Diary of a Modern Dad, which features a main character with Asperger’s Syndrome.
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