In the wake of the juggernaut that was April’s Autism Awareness Month, I have to admit that I was expecting May to be an uneventful month. However, as is always the case with our wonderful community, this month brought some incredible announcements, headline news and worldwide reports which, despite my expectation, resulted in May being one of the most jam packed months so far.

If, like me, you struggled to keep up with all the news (or if you missed some of the smaller, but no less important moments), then fret not, because in this week’s post I will be providing a recap of the top 5 autism headlines from the month gone by (as always, links to the full stories can be accessed by clicking on the red titles and the bold headings.).

Honourable Mentions:

Before we begin with today’s countdown, let’s quickly take a look at the articles, announcements and moments from May which, though well deserving of your attention, I couldn’t quite find the words (or time) to discuss:

Top 5 Autism News for May 2018:

5. The Annual International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Conference

Bringing together some of the brightest minds and most influential voices from the autistic community, this month saw the annual INSAR meeting take place in Rotterdam, from the 9th-12th May.

Although a meeting of this calibre often brings dread to members of the autistic community (as many worry that the talks will revolve around how to ‘cure’ autism and not how to support autistic people), this year’s INSAR was a pleasant experience, as it tackled many issues that the autistic community has been hoping to see addressed. For example:

Along with these subjects, there were also the more expected topics, such as: helping to improve autistic diagnosis tests, which though undeniably important, didn’t hold a candle to the aforementioned sensory processing discussion – which included a test featuring autistic people being given rags which, inexplicably, contained ‘the smell of fear’.

4. Autistica launches ‘Discover Podcast’

Launched in conjunction with the INSAR conference, leading autism research charity, Autistica, released the first 3 episodes of their new podcast: Discover.

Featuring a plethora of autism related conversations from industry experts and veterans,  Discover is an easy entry point for anyone who has ever though about venturing into the more academic side of autism, but were worried they might not understand some of the medical jargon.

Aside from in depth discussion and analysis of recent findings, Discover is particularly worth your attention as both of the hosts (Cos Michael and Jon Adams) are on the spectrum themselves. This results in many applause worthy moments, when guests are quickly put in line after discussing autism in a less than flattering way.

Although I have to admit Discover’s first episode didn’t blow me away, every episode since has had me listening with pen and paper in hand, as I jot down every interest point or quotable sentence (which can easily extend my time with the episodes from the intended 20 minutes to somewhere close to an hour).

Discover is available on the Autistica website and on iTunes.

3. National Autistic Society Wins Charity Film of the Year Award

Ever since the National Autistic Society’s autism awareness film: ‘Make it Stop’ made the short list for Charity film of the year, many of the community have been waiting to see whether this outstanding autism awareness video was going to take home the top prize in May.

On the night, The National Autistic Society’s film faced fierce competition from: Save the Children, Guide Dogs, Marie Curie and the WWF (The animal one, not the wresting one). However, Make it Stop’s powerful message was not to be underestimated. In the film, which featured prominently as part of the Too Much Information campaign, 12 year old Holly (who is autistic) depicts what life can be like for an autistic person navigating the everyday as small things build up to an overwhelming crisis.

With some incredible special effects and even better acting (especially on Holly’s part), Make it Stop managed to surpass it’s competition on 11th May and the National Autistic Society took home a well deserved first place.

2. Autism at Britain’s got Talent (Potential Spoilers)

(Photo Credit: ITV)

T.V. has never been a great place for depicting just how diverse the autistic spectrum is. The chances are that, if you do switch on any programme or film which features an autistic character, you are likely to be greeted with a monotone, deadpan character, who is almost entirely lacking a funny bone.

That is unless you have been tuning into Britain’s got Talent over the past few weeks, as this year’s competition has put two incredibly talented autists centre stage and into this month’s final. With very different skillets these artists demonstrate just how varied (and talented) people on the autistic spectrum can be.

Although, these kind of shows are not usually ‘my thing’, singer, Callum Courtney and Comedian, Robert White have been a breath of fresh air for this long standing series (with White’s hilarious mocking of judge David Walliams convincing me to give this talent show a second shot.)

1. Autism Advocate featured in Cosmopolitan’s Millennial Power list

Top of the list this month is the announcement that Siena Castellon, the autistic mastermind behind Quantum Leap: an autistic peer mentoring program, is to be featured in Cosmopolitan’s Millennial Power List.

Castellon founded Quantum Leap when she was just 13 and has more than earned this recognition by supporting and mentoring individuals on the spectrum, over the last two years, showing them how to overcome challenges such as bullying and isolation.

Castellon is also: on the Diana Award National Anti-Bullying Youth Board, a Greater London Authority Peer outreach worker AND, as if that wasn’t enough, she is also an autism researcher for the University of London, Centre for Research in Autism and Education (or CRAE).

Put simply, Siena Castellon is a shining example of why the autistic community is one of the most awesome and supportive groups of people you will find on the planet. Although she does make me question my decision to waste my teenage years playing Call of Duty and learning to play Guns N’ Roses on the mandolin, she is undoubtedly an inspiration, who more than deserves her inclusion on Cosmopolitan’s Millennial Power list, as well as the number one spot on today’s countdown.

Carry on the Conversation

What were your favourite moments from May? Let me know in the comments below. If there are any announcements that you think I might have missed, please leave a response with a link attached.

As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.

If you like what you have seen on the site today, then show your support by liking the Autistic & Unapologetic Facebook page. Also, don’t forget to sign up to the Autistic & Unapologetic newsletter (found on the side bar on laptops and underneath if you are reading this via mobile) where I share weekly updates as well as a fascinating fact I have found throughout the week.

Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.