Maja Toudal
Author of What Your Autistic Child Wants You to Know – And How You Can Help Them, and Energy Accounting – Stress Management and Mental Health Monitoring for Autism and Related Conditions.
Co-host on the podcast Autistic Tidbits & Tangents alongside Dr. Kara Dymond, and Bruce Petherick.Areas of expertise
About me and my background
FAQ
WHY DO YOU USE IDENTITY-FIRST LANGUAGE?
The use of identity-first language (autistic person) and person-first language (person with autism) is a huge debate in the community. Professionals are trained to use person-first language, based on the thinking that it emphasises the person rather than the disability. There is a lot of academic theory which tries to explain what is and is not the correct thing to do, but for me as an autistic person, it boils down to this: I would not be who I am without autism. It shapes how I perceive and meet the world around me, as well as how I think. It makes no sense to me that autism should be separated from me, or I from it, because it is a part of who I am. Importantly, I am not ashamed of being autistic, nor do I believe others should be.
I am not opposed to the use of either form of language, however. Every person should be allowed to make their own choice about what they prefer, and have that choice be respected. My wish is that professionals may come to a point of asking what each person prefers, rather than assuming that one is better overall.
When I write or speak about autism, I often use the terms interchangeably as makes most sense in the structure of each particular sentence. I do this because I do not want either term to be taboo or feel ‘risky’ to use. The important part for me, is that the terms are used with respect to the people being discussed. Hence, when judging whether to feel offended, I look at the context, content, and tone of what is being said.
BUT I HAVE HEARD IT IS OFFENSIVE TO SAY "AUTISTIC"...
WHY ARE YOUR VIDEOS SO LONG?
Maja Toudal
Areas of expertise
“There are so many things I wish I could have told my parents when I was a child, but back then I did not have the words.”
It can be challenging understanding what your autistic child wants and needs, at times it can feel like a struggle to ask the right questions and find the right words.
– WYC