Chapter 1
- To start
- Who is this book for?
- How to talk about autistic people
- Functioning labels and support needs
- How to read this book
- About the chapters
- Chapter 1 Resources
Chapter 2
- All about autism
- What is autism?
- What’s a developmental disability? Am I okay?
- How autism works
- Thinking differences
- Special interests
- Executive functioning
- Meltdowns and shutdowns
- Other thinking differences
- Sensory processing differences
- Stimming
- Motor differences
- Talking
- Communication differences
- Echolalia
- Scripting
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Socializing differences
- Empathy
- Rules nobody says
- Thinking for ourselves
- Eye contact
- Nonverbal communication
- Putting it all together
- Daily living
- Chapter 2 Resources
Chapter 3
- Who can be autistic?
- Autism and other disabilities
- Getting the wrong diagnosis
- Girls and women can be autistic!
- Transgender and non-binary people can be autistic!
- People of color can be autistic!
- Teenagers, adults, and older people can be autistic!
- Chapter 3 Resources
Chapter 4
- Autism facts
- 1. Vaccines do not cause autism.
- 2. Autism is not a disease. You can’t cure autism.
- 3. There is no “normal” person inside an autistic person.
- 4. Autistic people have always been in the world.
- 5. It’s okay to be autistic! Autism is not sad.
- 6. Autistic adults are adults. That means that we have the minds of adults.
- 7. Autistic people are autistic our whole lives.
- 8. Most autistic people talk. All autistic people communicate.
- 9. Autism and intellectual disability are not the same thing.
- 10. Don’t assume things about non-speaking people.
- 11. Autistic people know that everyone has thoughts.
- 12. Autistic people are in the same world as everyone else.
- 13. Not all autistic people are extra good at things.
- 14. People of all genders are autistic.
- 15. People of all races are autistic.
- Chapter 4 Resources
Chapter 5
- Autism and disability
- How can we think about disability?
- What is ableism?
- Neurodiversity
- Chapter 5 Resources
Chapter 6
- Self-advocacy and the self-advocacy movement
- What is self-advocacy?
- The self-advocacy movement
- Who can be a self-advocate?
- How can I self-advocate?
- Saying “No!”
- Talk to other people about yourself.
- Getting help.
- Use the things that work for you.
- Chapter 6 Resources
Chapter 7
- Know your rights
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- The IDEA
- Rehabilitation Act and Section 504 rights
- Fair Housing Act
- Olmstead
- Supported decision-making
- Chapter 7 Resources
Chapter 8
- Finding and creating autistic community
- What is autistic community?
- Autistic community history
- Finding autistic community near you
- Where can I find autistic communities?
- Autistic community online
- Who is left out?
- 1: Society has wrong ideas about who can be autistic.
- 2: Some groups leave out people who don’t have a diagnosis.
- 3: Some groups aren’t accessible.
- 4: Some autistic people think they’re better than other autistic people.
- 5. Autistic people can discriminate too!
- What can you do?
- Chapter 8 Resources
Chapter 9
- Being an ally
- The basics of being an ally
- Learn about autism from autistic people.
- Respect our privacy.
- Respect our bodies.
- Respect our communication.
- Believe in us.
- Don’t assume things about autistic people.
- Talk about autism respectfully.
- Partner with autistic people.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- A note for families
- Chapter 9 Resources