OPEN CALL TO AUTISTIC AND NEURODIVERSE WRITERS AND ALL OTHERS OF OUR KIND
How to Join Artfully Autistic and Neurodiverse Writers – In our own Words
Three Simple Steps To Join Our Publication!
A Medium Publication – For Us, and By Us
This Publication is for all American and Global Autistics, and the Neurodiverse, Atypical Gender Identifiers, LGBTQ, Aspies, and all those others out there that Society considers to not fit in or are non-traditional and do not share their old-fashioned values – heretofore, and hereafter the aforementioned groups have and shall be referred to as, “T(t)hose of our kind”.
Three Simple Steps To Join Our Publication!
- First, email us at our Publication’s email address indicating your interest in becoming a Member Writer. That email address is: [email protected] Note: Be sure to include your Medium Profile Link and/or your Medium Tag Name. Once we receive your email, either I, or one of our Editors will grant you access to submit to our Publication. You will receive a Notification in your Medium Notification “Bell.” Note: When submitting to our Publication, submit your Story in “Draft” mode by clicking your Medium Profile pic and selecting “Add to Publication” from the drop-down. You will see “ArtfullyAutistic” in your list of Publications. Follow the prompts and we will receive your Submission, ready for Editorial (If needed,) and then finally it will be Published. (It is usually a quick process.)
- Next you will receive an Email Invitation to join our Slack Workspace. If you are not familiar with Slack, it is a Team Collaboration and Messaging platform where you will be able to directly message other member Writers of our Publication, our Editors, and directly to me as well. Slack is available as an App for Mobile Devices, a Website, and as a Desktop Computer application. Note: Medium itself does not offer this feature, so it is a great way to get to know the other Member Writers, get help, talk about story ideas, make suggestions, share thoughts, and generally just say whatever is on your mind. A good way to get started with Slack is to introduce yourself in the #introductions channel or the #general channel. If you do not receive the Email invitation to join our Slack Workspace, please email us at [email protected] and let us know.
- Write, write, write, and enjoy the ride along the way!
Tip:
To save you some time, feel free to stop right here and join our Publication following the above Three Simple Steps.
I tend to be Autistically overly verbose, punctiliously pedantic, and didactically detailed when I write.
Just Join !
You can always read the rest of my Jibber-Jabber / Autistic Monologue / Info-Dump / Word Vomit later !
All Are Welcome
For those that are on the Autistic Spectrum or those of our kind, do know that I will accept any Submission from any individual, no matter where you fall on the Spectrum. From low to high, and to all points in between, all are welcome.
I know and I live the struggles of Autism and the struggles of those of our kind.
To expand on the above paragraph, I know from personal experience that the task of Writing can be overwhelming to those of us with Autism and those of our kind. For many of those with Autism, the task of Writing does not come effortlessly, but rather it comes with extreme Anxiety, Sensory Overload, and the stress of prolonged intense Hyperfocus. What first begins as s passion to write, can quickly transform into an Addiction or Obsession to Write, and Write, and Write.
It extends far beyond the point of compromise, which can then lead to a severe Autistic Meltdown, and for some like me, the onset of severe grand mal seizures.
It comes with great effort and great struggle as even those of us on the high end of the Spectrum experience the same symptoms as those on the low end of the Spectrum. Therefore, in effect – We are one and the same.
Note: The phrases “low end" and “high end" I used in the above paragraph were used for context emphasis only. These are Ableist phrases, and with few exceptions, should never be used to refer to someone with Autism. Contrary to common belief, the Spectrum is not linear. The Spectrum is multi-dimensional, with no finite inclusionary or disclusionary symptoms or traits.
However, optionally, I will offer my Editorial services free. However, it is always your choice and your choice alone, as I will with sincerity respect whatever choice you choose.
In either case, do know that I consider everything that is submitted to our Publication to be a Masterpiece “as is.”
It is with great honor do I have such gratitude for everything that the Writers of our Publication achieve, and it is my vow to encourage and instill a sense of confidence and self-worth in everyone that comes across my path. This is my Goal in Life.
To see the lives of the disadvantaged with disabilities such as Autism and those of our kind, and to experience it personally, I know all too well the horrible experiences that are too often needlessly put upon those of our kind.
It gives me great pride to be able to offer anything that I can do to make your Life better, and I do so willingly and with all the effort that it takes to make things better for you, as it is a labor of Love.
To those with Autism and those of our kind, to the Neurodivergent, LGBTQ, non-binary, and those that Identify in a so-called non-conforming way, do know that I am fully supportive of you just as your are, and just as who you Identify to be.
As well, I am supportive of those that are self-diagnosed with Autism, or any other disorder for that matter. However, do know that it is self-evident in the Writing of those who self-identify.
Thus far, everyone that is a Writer for the ArtfullyAutistic Publication are truly who they self-identify to be, as the proof is self-evident in their Writing that they are without doubt exactly who they self-identify to be; with honorable truth and with open honesty.
“There are no impersonators on my staff of Writers and that is something that can you can bet on that will always be true.”
The ArtfullyAutistic Publication is a place you can guarantee will never have Writers who are not who they claim to be. While other Publications openly accept these impersonators without question, that is a dishonor and is disrespectful to the Autistic Community and those of our kind.
The reality is that Autism is not a disorder, nor is it a Mental Health Issue.
Unlike other Conditions, Autism and other Neurodiverse Conditions are unique, in that it is not about “what we have,” but more profoundly so, it is about “who we are.”
– Keira Fulton-Lees
That is what we are all about…
What About You?
- What are your cares and concerns?
- Would you like an open-minded place to share even the most controversial subject matter?
- Would you like to communicate openly, the unique experience of your Life and that way you perceive Life?
- Would you like to contribute to a Publication where the Editors will search for and always find the hidden gem in your every Submission?
- Would you like to contribute to a Publication that holds Honesty to the highest standard?
- Would you like to contribute the to a Publication where the Editors will always try their hardest to instill a sense of self-confidence in you, which is all too commonly pervasively missing in the Lives of those of us with Autism, and others of our kind?
- Would you like to contribute to a Publication that guarantees that there will be no presence of any impersonators that claim to be Autistic, or those of our kind?
- Would you like to contribute to a Publication that guarantees that those who falsely impersonate as being someone who has Autism, or falsely impersonate as being others of our kind will be forbidden from the Publication? If so, does that appeal to your own Intolerance for Injustice?
- If any of the above appeal to you, then you have come to the right place.
My Goal
My goal is to create a go-to Publication for you and those that are supportive of you: such as your family, friends, and the rewarding virtual world of the online Autistic Communiy and the Communities of those of our kind, that are so readily available to help at any time.
Additionally, there are those rare therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, and Mental Health Workers, who are truly supportive, and have true compassion and empathy for the unique way you experience and feel Life.
A Life lived with such amplitude, that those of us with Autism and those of our kind so vividly experience all the colours of the Spectrum in sparkling glory that I, for one, would not give up being Autistic for anything in the world.
I just want to create a free place for you to express yourself in a multi-faceted creative, anything goes, and friendly place to no hang out on Medium and be creative in any way or any means possible.
We are a unique Publication with some of the most unique personalities and the most creative Writers on Medium.
It is within your own language, a language vastly different than the typical, that your words join together, almost as if by rumor, but blended with the Honesty of Autism, you will get a glimpse and perhaps contribute your own experience of the world in which you experience that is so vividly clear to you, but too often so misunderstood by others.
The Advantages of Being A Paying Member of Medium
I suggest that it is entirely up to you to become a paying member.
However, you can read stories free on Medium for only limited number of times, as there is a Paywall System built into the Medium Platform that tracks the number of reads that a non-member has performed.
Once that limit has been reached, you will no longer be able to read without joining as a member.
It is $4.99 per month to join.
Member status makes your story available for Curation, which in the case of your story has been selected for Curation; it will be displayed on Mediums Home Page of the Top-Level Topic of your Story.
Curation is a great way to draw attention to your story, attract followers, and let us be honest it just feels good to be recognized!
Lastly, on my pitch for membership, it is well known in the Medium Community that Top Writers only follow paying members.
Therefore, if you are not a member you are blocking yourself from access to the Top Writers in the Medium Community.
For Some, even $4.99 per month is easy to come up with.
For others, $4.99 per month is prohibitive as we are disabled and only receive meager SSI or SSDI income.
If you are a parent of an Autistic youth, and Medicaid Waiver benefits have not kicked in, every penny spent needs to be watched closely.
I am disabled and receive meager SSDI income, so believe me, I know from personal experience that even a few dollars or cents are closely counted in my budget.
Note: You DO NOT have to be a paying member to be a writer on the Publication; the free membership is okay too.
Gift of a Membership
If you are a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or close friend to someone who has Autism or is one of our kind, you can Gift of a Membership to Medium, and it is much more than a gift of money, but an investment and show of support for your loved one who happens to be different, and it is the gift of a “voice” where before you had none.
Writing Your Way to the Best Neurodivergent Version of You!
I do not write for the money. I do it because it is one thing that I now know I love to do, and it has instilled a degree of confidence in me whereby before none existed. Therefore, I am in this for the sole purpose of doing something positive for my Mental Health, and the Mental Health for the entire Autistic Community and the Communities of those of our kind.
When I first started Writing on Medium, it was not because I had always aspired to be a Writer. In fact, I had never even enjoyed Writing for the most part and I did poorly in English class. So why did I join?
For me, Writing on Medium has been a game-changer in improving my Mental Health and self-confidence, which I so desperately needed, as I, like too many others of our kind, live a marginalized Life.
- Honestly, Writing on Medium, and sharing your unique experience with your view of the world can be a game changer for you too.
- It will instill a greater level of confidence in yourself, provide you with a sense of belonging and validation, and a sense of adding true value for yourself, and your own Community.
- It will raise Awareness in others by giving them the opportunity to read real-life experiences of those living a Life just like yours.
- It will provide more opportunities for Social Interactions and new Social Connections, improve your Social Reciprocity, and in general improve your overall Mental Health.
- It is a rewarding and validating experience that is so lacking amongst many of us.
- It will be another step in the continuing effort that we keep-up-the good-fight and make a statement of support and Advocacy for the Autistic an others of our kind
There are still these too many people who marginalize people of non-conformity with outdated views in terms of gender identity, personality types, sexuality preferences, or lack thereof, those with ADHD, the Neurodivergent, LGBTQ Community, the non-binary, and gender-fluid, or gender-variant, as well as many more that are different in any way. Every story you write opens a possibility to Raise Awareness of the still exiting stigma and stereotypes surrounding those of us who are simply different, not less…
The time is now to move beyond Awareness and arrive at a place of true Acceptance. Together we can do this.
To The Parents
If you are a parent, things such as confidence, a sense of belonging, validation, having a sense of being able to add true value to a community, and everything I said above that truly will mean so much to us and those of our kind, as these are the things that are so harshly missing in your child's Life.
I cannot empathize this enough, but Autism does have a number of evil tagalongs, such as:
- ADHD
- Conversion Disorder
- Debilitating Anxiety
- Pervasive Fear
- Depression
- Isolation
- Loneliness
- OCD
- Meltdowns (Either Explosive or Implosive)
- Epilepsy
- Idiopathic Seizures
- PNES
- Drop Attack/Atonic Seizures
- Autistic Shutdown
- Sleep Disruption
- Digestive Issues
- Challenges or decreased Executive Functioning
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Visual Information (seeing)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Tactile Information (touch)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Auditory Information (hearing)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Tactile Information (touch)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Gustatory Information (taste)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Olfactory Information (smell)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Vestibular Information (movement)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Proprioceptive Information (body awareness.)
Additionally, there is a severe and common condition that is referred to as Autistic Regression or Autistic Burnout, that in and of itself, can lead to a seriously disabling decline in nearly, if not all, facets of functionality, or can be limited to a sudden onset loss of specific sets of skills or abilities, such as:
- A sudden onset of partial to total deterioration in all aspects of Executive Functioning that may or may not return
- A sudden onset of partial to total deterioration in short and long term memory capacity which may or may not return to the previous level
- A sudden onset of progressive, partial, or permanent loss of the ability to speak, which may or nay not return to the previous level of the ability to speak
- A sudden onset of temporary or permanent decompensation in regions of the brain that become Neurologically maladaptive to pre-existing Hypersensitivities that rapidly decrease or cease to process Sensory Information passed to the brain, whose ability to compensate for dysfunctional Sensory Information Processing has been compromised, with an idiopathic etiology leading to frequent sensory overload that inevitably leads to serious and frequent Meltdowns and Blackouts
- A sudden onset of progressively and rapidly reduced difficulty with basic learning capabilities, which may or may not return to the same level as was consistent prior to the Regression
- A sudden onset of a reduced ability or total inability to perform previously leaned capabilities in basic self-care
- A sudden loss of previously learned Social Skills that may or nay not return to the previously learned level of Social Skills
- A sudden onset of rapidly or progressing acute, rare, and debilitating decompensation of intolerable and disabling heightening of Auditory, Gustatory, Olfactory, Vestibular, and Visual Information the brains neurology to compensate for hypersensitivities Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Visual Information (seeing)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Tactile Information (touch)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Auditory Information (hearing)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Tactile Information (touch)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Gustatory Information (taste)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Olfactory Information (smell)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Vestibular Information (movement)
- Sensory Integration and Generally increased Sensory Issues with hypersensitivity to Proprioceptive Information (body awareness.)
Join Us! What do you have to lose?
Seize the day, and raise your glass in honor of the human effort of trying!
Remember, you do not have to be Autistic or be one of the others of our kind to submit to this Publication, but you do need to be supportive of those of our kind.
A Short Bio About The Creator of this Publication
I am Autistic and my name is Keira Fulton-Lees.
Note: Identity-First for me!
After many years of being misdiagnosed with many other disorders, I was finally Formally Tested and Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), by a Neuropsychologist at a renowned Neuroscience Clinic.
Finally getting a correct diagnosis was a very vindicating and empowering experience for me.
I have finally reached a place of not only acceptance of my condition, but also a place of embracing and celebrating my atypical differences.
Finally knowing why I never really “fit-in,” is a very powerful feeling.
My Autistic “Special Interests” are:
- The Moon – My Beloved Glowing Friend
- Music – I play guitar and compose my own original instrumental Songs
- Art – I love to draw and paint
- Writing and Poetry – I love to write about my Life experiences living on the Spectrum, Mental Health, Disability, and other open topics of interest
- Photography – For me, finding just the right shot is to capture and lock-in a special moment in time
- Coding – Mostly in Java and Perl (Perl will always hold a special place in my heart — the Swiss Army Knife of programming! — shebang! #!/usr/bin/perl
Hope
It is my hope for you, is that the action of Writing, whether if be on this Publication or any other, will help you find a higher sense of self-confidence, purpose, and validation. I think everyone, even those that seem an abundance of self-confidence, would always welcome a little boost every now and then. As well, any improvement in one’s Mental Health is always a good thing.
If one can fight their way through the severest of Depression, then maybe, it is possible to Write one’s way through all the pits and valleys of Life, and in the end find yourself at the place where you started, as by now you have written your very own Book of Life.
Perhaps TS Eliot was right, “Only then do you know the place for the very fist time.”
My Values
The Publication Owner and What I am All About
Note: The following are my personal values alone, and are not in any way reflective of the purpose of the Publication, as I without hesitation respect the views of others who do not share the same perspective or values, and that it perfectly okay with me.
Acceptance
I am accepting of all views. The fact that I am Autistic means that I have to be purpose-driven in my acceptance of the perspectives of others, at face value.
My personal values are hereof provided so that you have an in depth glimpse of who I am specifically and personally as a person with Autism. I am but one person with Autism, and so profoundly and aptly so, are the famous words of Dr. Stephen Shore:
“If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism”
– Dr. Stephen Shore, an Autistic professor of Special Education at Adelphi University, the author of many books on the subject of Autism, and once headed the Asperger’s Association of New England is very well known within the Autistic Community.
Times have changed, and it is time for the Society to catch up with the fluidity of personalities, the neurodivergent, the non-binary, and the “so-called non-conformity” of the flourishing of new Gender Identities, that Society must align itself with the current views of those of our kind.
It as far past time that the faux Society ceases and desists the marginalization and harm that is unjustly put upon those of our kind.
Six feet under should be buried the archaic actions of Society that transparently exists in their false beliefs that are transparently hidden beneath a translucently webbed veil of futile denial, and is no other than is an egregious attempt to acknowledge the very existence and suffering of those of our kind.
It is way past time to proudly stand up and make a statement, as Ableism has ran rampant in this world, which is no less than a state of others being indifferent to the suffering of others, to the extreme degree of cruel brutality that surmounts to the very definition of inhumanity.
“It is far past time for this type of behavior to cease and desist, immediately.”
Every human being has their own personal right to choose who they are and who they see themselves and Identify.
Numerously, we are the current and future state of the very definition of Society, as the evidently increasing variations of Personal Identity of all kinds have long since arrived, as has the personal choice of our own volition to define the current widely held views of the current meaning of the Fluidity of Sexual Orientation, the Fluidity of Personality, the Fluidity of Gender Identity, and the Basic Right to Choose exactly of whom we are, and the Right to Choose How We Identify as a Person, of which are the very apparent trends of current times and of the future times yet to be.
“Society should be kind and not a nevermind.”
These are our own personal experiences, perspectives, and perceptions to the exclusion of all others. Irrefutably, these are qualities of the openhearted, opened-eyed, and open-minded, with unique and personal choices of the ever-growing populace of those of our kind.
“The mind is like an umbrella in that it only works if it is open.”
These as well are the unique qualities of all human beings, and are not qualities that are to be measured or marginalized by the personal experiences, perspectives, and perceptions of others.
When a person is measured or marginalized for their own right to justifiably possess their own personal experiences, perspectives, and perceptions of who we are and of who we identify as person, is proof that the perp is the other person.
“We are not broken neurotypical people.”
The binary view of the world has long passed, and it is time for the word to be spread and Awareness Raised, so that accommodations will be made, and true Empathy must be shown toward us and all others of our kind.
Simply said, we too are human beings inhabiting this planet — A planet of humans — A planet of Mankind — A planet of which we should all be able to live together in harmony — A planet where it should be a given that those of our kind must be treated with equality, humanity, and with humility.
“Graciously should others be accepting of those of our kind — As We Are As We Are, and Our Identity is a Personal Individual Quality, That is to be made by Us, and Us , Alone, to the Exclusion of All Others — Without Exception — That of Total and Complete Compliance and Acceptance of Us, and Those of Our Kind — As We Are Who We Are, and Who We Identify As Shall Be Agreed To Be and Deemed To Be Our Choice, And Our Choice Alone — And NOT In Any Way, Manner, or Context, Ever a Choice of Others.”
Making a Difference
However, I, for one, can at least try to make a difference, through my Writing, and Writing, and Writing, and Writing, and Writing, again, and again.
It is my hope that you can too!
Advocating for Autism and Those of Our Kind
I am a staunch ally and Advocate for Autism and for those of our kind, and as well for all other Communities that suffer from the indifference and brutal treatment of others, for no other reason than that we are different.
This is no less than an unforgivable act of inhumanity, the most brutal, and cruel acts that are inflicted upon another person. To the end, and of that end, I will never give in until the sins of those that are a truly evil are brought to Justice.
As you can see, I speak very literally, very factually based, which is often perceived by the Neurotypical population at large seen as a punctiliously pedantic and a brutally honest manner of speaking, but that is never my intent. This is an Autistic Trait — This is Our Language — This is the Language of Autism.
Remember:
Unlike all other Conditions, Autism and Neurodiverse Conditions are unique, in that it is not about “what we have,” but more profoundly so, it is about “who we are.”
IMPORTANT! ABA and Autism Speaks
We at Artfully Autistic and Neurodiverse Writers FIRMLY DO NOT support ABA Therapy or Autism Speaks, so if you are a supporter of either, you will be NOT be allowed to join our Publication.
Sincerely,
Keira Fulton-Lees Artfully Advocate for Autism and for Those Of Our Kind
Owner, Creator, Editor and Writer for the Medium Publication:
.https://keira-leda-lees.medium.com/membership