Biography 

People saw me as an academically gifted child, and I was awarded a free place at a prestigious Direct Grant school after doing exceptionally well in the 11+ exam. I struggled socially as a teenager but I went on to have a fulfilling (though disrupted) career and family life.

Aspects of my life which always mystified me (frequent job changes, few friends, sensory differences, meltdown, burnout, being targeted by bullies and abusers) were finally explained when I discovered that I was Autistic after unravelling at the age of 58 due to cumulative trauma. It's no exaggeration to say that the discovery of autism was life saving.      

I've spent the last 5 years getting to know myself better, unlearning unhelpful habits I developed trying to fit in. I live life Autistically now, prioritising self-care and maintaining healthy boundaries. This is only possible because I am relatively privileged. I was brought up female but now identify as gender fluid, neuro queer, non-binary. Rejecting traditional gendered and social expectations has been liberating too, reconnecting me with my early childhood, when I wanted to be called Jack, and my teenage years when I enjoyed wearing men's clothes.