There is one label I have embraced since the second grade:
Allow people to pursue their interests and goals, without demanding that everyone be some sort of crusader for "the cause" behind your personal passions. I understand that parents, educators, and caregivers want me to be some sort of role model. But, isn't the best way to be a role model for young students to be good at what I love?
I write comedies and young adult fiction. I do not want to write "autistic" stories. What would those stories be? Episodes of Touch or screenplays like Rain Man? Not that I wouldn't enjoy telling a good story that happened to include someone with a disability, but I don't want to write with a checklist of causes to support on my desk.
Celebrate the programmer, the scientist, the teacher, or the writer. If you need to prefix "autistic" for some reason, I suppose that's okay, but I want to be known as a good writer, not a good autistic writer or a good writer with a palsy. Simply the writer of good and entertaining stories. If I am not as good as or better than other aspiring writers, I don't want special recognition or honors. I want to be judged by the words I write.
Writer. It is the one word I know describes me now and always has described me. I currently write plays and poetry, both of which I think are best heard, not read, by others.When people ask why I don't "do more" for autism advocacy, or disability issues in general, I respond that I am first, second, and third, a writer. I write first to entertain, then to persuade. Then, I'm a teacher and a half dozen other things. But, I am a writer first. While I wish I could be everything, and curiosity compels me to read on dozens of topics, creative writing continues to be how I define myself. A curious creative writer, exploring human nature and other topics of interest to me.
I write. Not a few pages here and there, but often thousands of words in a week. There have been times when I have written complete manuscripts, over 100 pages, in two weeks. I find that complete stories often come to mind, and I "see" these like films playing in my mind. The biggest challenge is writing to capture the story before my mind has moved ahead to the next project.
— C. S. Wyatt, personal website
Allow people to pursue their interests and goals, without demanding that everyone be some sort of crusader for "the cause" behind your personal passions. I understand that parents, educators, and caregivers want me to be some sort of role model. But, isn't the best way to be a role model for young students to be good at what I love?
I write comedies and young adult fiction. I do not want to write "autistic" stories. What would those stories be? Episodes of Touch or screenplays like Rain Man? Not that I wouldn't enjoy telling a good story that happened to include someone with a disability, but I don't want to write with a checklist of causes to support on my desk.
Celebrate the programmer, the scientist, the teacher, or the writer. If you need to prefix "autistic" for some reason, I suppose that's okay, but I want to be known as a good writer, not a good autistic writer or a good writer with a palsy. Simply the writer of good and entertaining stories. If I am not as good as or better than other aspiring writers, I don't want special recognition or honors. I want to be judged by the words I write.
"isn't the best way to be a role model for young students to be good at what I love?"
ReplyDeleteIndeed.