Alyssa Hillary
Autistic Graduate Student
Alyssa Hillary is an autistic graduate student with a focus on neuroscience. As an autism advocate, Alyssa shares their story by blogging about their experiences and the world around them in order to highlight obstacles that neurodivergent individuals face. They also have a bachelor's degree in mathematics, mechanical engineering, and Chinese, as well as a master's in mathematics.
Do you identify as neurodivergent?
"Yes! Specifically, I'm Autistic and aphantasiac (plus possibly some other stuff), but Neurodivergent is a good overall description."
What would you like everyone to know about being neurodivergent?
"I probably understand neurotypicals better than they understand me -- there are more of them, and their needs are taken as the default, so I had to figure it out. They're allowed to be pretty clueless about me."
What do you feel is the aspect of life most impacted by being neurodivergent?
"All of it. It's pervasive."
Do you have preferences in terms of the language used?
"Autistic. Neurodivergent. Disabled. If it's cutesy, I probably hate it. If it's a euphemism, I probably hate it. "Differently-abled" feels like the same people who made all the barriers trying to ignore the fact that they did so. Basically, if someone needs a language game to remember that Autistic, Neurodivergent, and Disabled are descriptors that apply to people, of which I am one? Then there are bigger problems than their language choices and I don't want them anywhere near me."
What kind of accommodations do you wish were implemented better in everyday society?
"Communication supports. If speech isn't working for me, so I type instead (or use some other form of communication, but typing is what I use under the circumstance), this shouldn't be a big deal. [https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2018.0007. Seriously. Just let us communicate the way that works for us.]"
What stigmas do you encounter in your community?
"Depends on the community: in engineering I tend to run into assumptions about what kind of "help" I need. (No, I don't need technology that reminds me to make eye contact or look at people's faces, thanks. Why would I want technology to remind me to do useless and uncomfortable things?) In augmentative and alternative communication, it's having my research presented as "my perspective as an AAC user." On the street, it's people looking at how I move and making assumptions based on that. (No, you don't need to know where my parents are.)"
How do you think neurotypical individuals can aid in the advocacy for neurodiversity without infringing on neurodivergent voices?
"Stop saying "But my XYZ professional said ...." when neurodivergent people say something that's different from what your professor said. I don't care. Professionals are some of the worst ableists. The guy who basically invented ABA for autistic kids straight up said we weren't people in the psychological sense.
Start backing us up when we tell said professionals to stop doing harmful things."
How do you think we can empower children with autism and lift up their voices?
"I don't do "empowerment." I do power. Do autistic kids have the power to say NO and have it stick, instead of it triggering manipulation or outright physical force to make the thing happen anyways? Autistic kids feel powerless because they are taught, one ignored refusal at a time, that they are, in fact, powerless, and that they're in even less control of their lives than neurotypical, abled kids are. They're not allowed to reject the so-called "friends" who are actually bullies, or the "helpers" who are actually bullies, or the demands that they act less autistic even if the autistic-looking thing is just odd and not harmful. Give them power, and we can talk about making sure they know they have it."
What are your aspirations for the future?
"In an ideal world, I'd do neurodivergence-related research and teach math."
What are your favorite hobbies?
"I like to read (and write) fantasy and sometimes science fiction! Lately, most of it has been fanfiction based around Tamora Pierce's Tortall universe, but sometimes I write original fiction. I also play computer games."
References:
Interview with Alyssa Hillary
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