by Eric Garcia
Sonne, Thorkil, 62
Sparrow, Maxfield, 68
Specialisterne, 62, 65
“special needs” term, 33
Spectrum Generation meaning, xvi
Spectrum News, 100, 118, 151, 169
Spourdalakis, Alex, 14, 15
Spourdalakis, Dorothy, 14
Square company, 77–78, 79
Srinivasan, Hari
ABA, 117–18
academic accommodations, 37, 40
college/accomplishments, 26, 34–35, 38
on community college benefits, 35
as non-speaking/communication device, 26, 34–35, 38, 117
as positive example, 211
Stanley, Paul, 8
star, endever, 66–67
Star, Eryn
autism and, 157, 158, 163–64, 212
gender identity and, 156–57
masking/harm, 163–64
verbal abuse of, 156–57, 163
Stassun, Keivan, xix, 49
STEM fields, xv, 32–33, 48–49, 55–56, 63–64, 75
Stonewall Democrats
Benham and, 1, 10
Marble and, 148
Steel City Stonewall Democrats, 1, 28
stutter, 204, 207
sub-minimum pay, 64, 68–73, 205
suicide, National Suicide Prevention Line number, 130
suicide/suicidal thoughts, 38, 45, 74, 128, 129, 130, 149
Sullivan, Joseph, 30, 86–87
Sullivan, Ruth Christ
autism advocacy/services, 12, 30, 112
NSAC, 12, 30, 112
West Virginia and, 30
Sun (newsletter), 143
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 66–67
supported decision-making, 104–6
T
Tapper, Jake, xii
Taylor, Breonna, 187
Taylor, James, 52
telethons, 13
Tesla, Nicola, 22
testosterone (increased levels) in womb/effects, 159, 168–69
Thunberg, Greta, 172, 213
Time magazine, xi, xiii, 207
Tommey, Polly, 14
torture, United Nations conventions against, 15
To Siri with Love (Newman), 151–52
Town, Maria, 204–5
transphobia, 148, 168, 169
Treffert, Darold, 87, 171
Trotter, John Paul, 31, 56–57, 153
Trump, Donald
autism cure and, 23
autism/disabilities and, xii, xiii, 22–23, 24, 69, 72, 100–101, 112, 206–7
autism/vaccine link and, xii, xiii, 24
conspiracy theories, xiii
election (2016), 204
personality traits, xii–xiii
Republicans defending, xii–xiii
tear-gassing demonstrators, 187–88
Wakefield and, 24
West Virginia and, 29
Wright and, 23
Trump, Lara Lea, 206–7
Tsatsanis, Katherine, 135
Tufts University, 39
Twisted Sister, 9
270toWin, 218–19
Tyler, Steven, 9
U
UBS, 61
Ultra Testing, 61
Umpqua Community College, Oregon shootings, xiii–xiv
Uniquely Human (Prizant), 200–201
United Nations
Aspies for Freedom and, 21
conventions against torture, 15
University of Alabama autism programs, 29–30
University of California, Berkeley, 26, 34–35, 37
University of Michigan, 34
University of North Carolina, 6, 35–36, 40, 44–47, 51–52, 58, 154, 191–93, 212–13
Unstrange Minds (Grinker), 84
USA Today, 135
U.S. v. Windsor, 210
V
vaccines/autism myth
advocate groups, 18
beginnings, xi–xii, xvi
immunization harm from, 17
mercury and, xi–xii, 18, 116
“Mercurys, the,” 18
needs of autistic people and, 19
presidential campaign (2008) and, 18–19
repeating false claim, xii
science and, 17, 18
US Congressional hearings, 16, 17–18
Waxman criticizing, 17
See also specific individuals
Vanderbilt
Autism and Neurodiversity Alliance (VANA), 50
Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program, 49
Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, xix, 49, 50, 51
Velasco, Jose, 62
Venkat, Arvind
autistic patients and, 126–27
position, 125
Wayman and, 125–26
Verma, Seema, 101
Verve’s, 133
VH1 Classic channel, 8
vitamin B6, 12
VOR (formerly “Voice of the Retarded”), 69
Vox.com, 209
W
Wakefield, Andrew
Lancet/vaccine publication and background, 16
losing medical license, 16
testifying/House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, 16, 17
Trump and, 24
Warren, Elizabeth, 75, 203, 205, 206
Washington Post, x, 58–59, 75, 125, 146, 201, 208
Watts, Stephon/family, 188–89
Waxman, Henry, 17
Wayman, Lydia
communication and, 124–25
health issues, 120–22
housing situations, 120, 122, 123
insurance, 121
issues/health care professionals, 123–24, 131
knowledge of health issues and, 123–24
routine and, 124
sensory overload and, 126
understanding health care needs/autistic people and, 127
Venkat and, 125–26
Wayman, Nancy (“Brisky”)
daughter/daughter’s health and, 120, 121, 122–23, 124–25, 126
description, 120
“supporting Lydia’s bad habits” and, 123
West Virginia
political stories and, 29
See also Marshall University, West Virginia
What Every Autistic Girl Wishes Her Parents Knew (book), 169
White House intern/internships, 50, 53, 55, 57–58, 153–54
Who, the (band), 8, 56–57
Willey, Liane Holliday, 162, 164–65
Williams, Calvin, Charlotte Ruby, Cassidy Luna, 77, 132, 134, 152–53
Williams, Chris
autism of, 77, 138, 140
background, 77, 78–79, 140
learning of autism, 134
Square and, 77, 78, 79
Williams, Chris/Cori
autism and relationships, 135, 155
meeting/dating, 132–34
as parents, 77, 132, 134, 135, 138, 152–53
wedding, 133
Williams, Cori
autism of, 77, 138
background, 132, 140–41
description, 134
learning of autism, 134
pregnancies/complications, 78–79
Williams, Donna, 20
Will, Maddy, 46
Wilson, Darren, 175
Wilson, Elaine, 94
Windsor, U.S. v., 210
Wing, Lorna/John, 4
Wired, 22, 199
Wiser, Daniel, 46, 192
work
accommodations, xix–xx, 74, 75, 81–82
“charity” and, 72
community employment, 60
community-support systems (Vermont), 70
dated views and, 69–71, 72–73
dignity and work status, 56, 59, 66
disclosure and, 61, 74
employment statistics, 60
getting the job (overview), 60–63
inclusion and, 76–79, 81
job interviews, 61–62
loyalty and, 62–63
> Medicaid-funded supports, 71
neurodiversity hiring initiatives and, 61, 64–65
pay/subminimum-wage labor, 64, 68–69, 71–73, 205
productivity and, 63
sheltered workshops, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73
STEM fields and, xv, 63–64
“supported employment” (Vermont), 70
support needs and, 64–65
See also social safety net
Workplace Readiness Program, 55
World Autism Awareness Day, 23
Wright, Bob
Autism Speaks and, 10, 18, 23, 114
background, 23
memoir/on high-functioning autistic adults, 25
Trump and, 23
Wright, Katie, 10, 18
Wright, Suzanne
Autism Speaks, 10, 18, 24, 114
controversy, 24
Y
Yale University, Developmental Disabilities Clinic, 135
Yates, Greg
AASCEND and, 141–42
autism of, 141
background, 141–42
Davin and, 141, 142–43, 155
meditation, 142
Yergeau, M. Remi
accommodations, 34, 36–37
autism/LGBTQ and, 148
on autistic females, 159, 161–62
“extreme male brain theory” and, 159
position/autism, 34, 36, 159
Young, Stella, 40
Z
Zuckerman, Katharine, 184–85, 186–87
About the Author
Photograph © Kristin Herbruck
ERIC GARCIA is a writer and reporter based in Washington, DC. He has written for the Washington Post Magazine, the Week, the New Republic, the Daily Beast, the American Prospect, and Spectrum. He was most recently an assistant editor at the Washington Post’s Outlook section, and before that an associate editor at the Hill. He has also been a staff writer for MarketWatch, National Journal, and Roll Call. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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