Hi! My name is Tricia and I love what I do. I especially love the learning part (I guess I am just a life long learner). There is incredible research out there and I want to share the wealth. So, the purpose of this blog will be to share research-based evidence and layman’s terms and to talk about how to apply the research in real world settings.
A NOTE ABOUT LANGUAGE
There is quite a bit of debate about how to refer to neurodiverse individuals. People who are advocates of person first language want to put the identity first and the disability second (person with autism; person with an intellectual disability). This is done to put the value of the individual BEFORE the disability. However, some advocates are claiming that that language is harmful because it implies that person is incomplete or flawed. This is especially true for autistic advocates who say, “It is impossible to affirm the value and worth of an Autistic person without recognizing his or her identity as an Autistic person. Referring to me as “a person with autism,” or “an individual with ASD” demeans who I am because it denies who I am.” (The Significance of Semantics: Person First Language: Why it Matters by Lydia Brown) I believe that both arguments are seeking to place value in all individuals, but they each have different ways of doing it. In the end, I think that decisions about language should be made by the individual. I believe that we should refer to them using language they prefer.
With that being said, I want to spread awareness of the Neurodiversity Movement as much as I can. So, I am going to choose to use language synonymous with that, unless a person or organization I am talking about says others.
I am also trying to be inclusive regarding the pronouns I use. I want to validate people by using the names/pronouns they are comfortable with, or (if I don’t know what they are comfortable with) using gender neutral language.
I acknowledge that I will mess up and may use the wrong language. That is part of learning.
You may also notice some themes popping up. Currently, my passions are teaching sexuality to individuals with disabilities, trauma informed practices and executive functioning skills. So, that is what you will see a lot of. I hope you enjoy learning with me!
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