Many of us hear autism discussed in the third person. "My neighbor has an autistic kid," "I read about so-and-so", "my nephew's autistic." While that's fine, it seems we might do well to listen to autistic people themselves, rather than their enlightened or condescending family members, friends, or corporate-funded "advocacy" groups.
So here are a few voices you may not have heard.
A word about me. I am not autistic, though both of my two young boys are. I don't mean to speak for autistic people or even for autistic parents; these links below don't represent an editorial judgment on my part as to who among autistic bloggers I think should be read or not. In other words, the links below are not "my blogroll" of autistic bloggers. Please feel free to note the autistic bloggers whom I have overlooked.
Not all of the material noted below is formatted in the standard, "orthodox" blog format of sequential posts listed in reverse chronological order. Some of the material below is more scattered, but is included broadly as "blog" material because of its style or approximate format. If this bothers you, please persist and persevere in being bothered.
Amanda Baggs' Ballastexistenz is probably a good place to start. Amanda Baggs is 26 and lives in Vermont. Her so-called "non-site" provides additional background on her extensive on-line media work. The term Ballastexistenz is a term from the Nazi eugenics movement describing the forms of existence that were "ballast," life unworthy of life.
Autistic Bitch from Hell's "Whose Planet Is It Anyway" provides a sharp perspective on the civil rights movements for autistic people. Interestingly, ABH supports Barack Obama for President. Check this bitch out.
Autism Hub UK provides a feed from multiple blogs mostly from autistic people but also from some parents and allies.
"Asman" of "The Point of View of An Aspergian" (person with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism) discusses the distinction between being autistic and being disabled, arguing that autistic people are not per se disabled and that the disability rights model of advocacy may be inappropriate for autistic people.
Neurodiversity.com weblog is now embroiled in controversies regarding mercury/vaccine litigation. This is the place to discuss the science of mercury/vaccine litigation except that skeptical/pro-science blogs have debunked the shit out of most or all of mercury-vaccine-autism thesis. But this blogger - herself not autistic but a strong advocate for autistic self-advocacy with an amazing list of links on her site - just got subpoenaed to turn over her investigative work.
Ed of Ed's Autism Blog is displeased about Autism Awareness Month, and is glad that the other eleven months of the year will be less filled with misinformation about actual autistic people than April will be/is.
NT's Are Weird (NT = neurotypical, non-autistic people) discusses the prejudices held by some autistic people against people with other disabilities such as mental retardation. And a little about the autistic author's love life, here and there....
Joe at Asperger Square 8 discusses his "high-functioning label" and how it affects his ability to achieve what he wants out of life.
There are autistic bloggers here on DailyKos, some regulars. Please feel free to introduce yourselves if you feel comfortable doing so.
UPDATE (many thanks to commenters below:
Autism Diva
Studio 360: Art & Autism
My RSS Feed of Multiple Autistic Bloggers
Kossack Codeman38's Blog