What I’ve Learned About Human Behavior From Children With Autism
Five things I’ve learned working as Behavioral Interventionist for Children with Autism have changed my mental and physical health for the better – and I want to share them with you. 1) Identify the triggers. Breakdowns happen to all of us. Sometimes far too often. Identifying the triggers of when and how these happen is a huge step in lessening the degree to which they happen. In my readings on Autism, this is a huge point that is constantly trying to be made. What causes the unwanted behavior? What times…
Employee with Asperger’s Humiliated by Customer
Chris Tuttle, a 28 year old man who has Asperger’s syndrome, was humiliated by a customer at the Wegamns he works at. The customer berated Tuttle for not scanning his items fast enough and even complained to a manager while Chris was visibly upset with tears running down his face. After hearing Chris’ story, his sister Jamie reached out to her friends on Facebook about the situation in hopes that they would help build up his spirits. Little did Jamie know, the story would become an internet sensation. By the…
Tourism officials arrange for boy with prosthetic legs to swim with dolphin with prosthetic tail
This is such a wonderful, heartwarming story! I bawled my eyes out when I saw the pictures and watched the video! Cieran Kelso got to meet one of his idols – an idol you wouldn’t expect! Just a few weeks ago, Cieran sat quietly and gently stroked Winter, a dolphin, while a trainer put a prosthetic tail over the dolphin’s stump and secured it with a strap. Local tourism officials had flown Cieran and his family from England to Florida to surprise him with a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium…
Suit Urself: Body image, fashion and disabilities
Last week, we posted an article called “Are we leaving men out?” in regards to body image. I want to talk about another huge demographic that is basically invisible when it comes to body image, much less media and advertisement. Let’s discuss disabilities. People with disabilities are dehumanized in our culture. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority population, yet the only model of disability is a medical one. Entire industries serve the medical needs of people with disabilities. Durable medical goods are produced to meet their medical needs, pharmaceutical industries…
Disabled woman sparks sexual revolution
I’m not stating anything new by saying there is a huge deficit in the media, advertising, cinema, fashion – basically everywhere – of disabled bodies being represented. They are not seen as capable, and especially not sexual. There are often overlooked. That’s why I think “Ecstacy of A Cripple,” a photography-based project between photographer/artist Thomas Dodd and Jocelyn Woods, the model (who was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy) is so fantastic and worth supporting. “Ecstacy of A Cripple” will be comprised of nude and semi-nude photographs fashioned to portray sensuality…
