Briannon Lee

That sad and scary space between special interests

I love information. I relish sinking my teeth in to a new topic, learning everything there is to know about it – reading books, listening to podcasts, scanning journal articles, and talking with other people about that passion. I enjoy falling so deep in to that information that I feel like I know enough about it to almostbe an expert. I never go so deep that I am an expert. But deep enough that…

Once upon a time, not very long ago at all, I saw my family’s neurological, sensory, communiction and developmental differences as ‘issues’ that needed interventions from clinicians. We were struggling daily as a family, and I thought that helping my children ‘be OK in the world’ would help us all. I did not that ‘being ok in the world’ meant being a compliant child who said and did the right…

Don’t shame us for being chameleon

I learned I was autistic in my 30s. Not long afterwards, I came across the word chameleon to describe how many autistic people change our communication, voice, interests, and actions to mirror the people we are with, or to fit in with the norms of a group. Looking back on the way I had survived school, university, workplaces and early motherhood, I totally identified with this description of…

Why we love our caravan holidays

My family are all autistic. We appreciate when sensory experiences in our environment are predictable. We enjoy the comforts and routines of home. A few of us are ADHD. We love new experiences and adventures. Two of us are adults with lots of positive travel experience. Three of us are children with less confidence travelling and a need for security and comfort items including their pets. How do…

Our unschooly dyslexic reading journey

My family are a pretty neurodivergent bunch and that means that reading words in books isn’t natural or enjoyable for all of us. We don’t go to school or follow a curriculum at home, and we aren’t involved in any therapy or education programs. When we started to notice one of our children might be dyslexic, we had to follow our own path with help from dyslexic adults and assistive tech. Here’s a…

#marriageequality postal vote. Will our love be rejected again? Pain, fear and rejection.

When I was 21, I met a woman. I wasn’t afraid to come out. I was giddy with new love. I had only known acceptance and love from my family. My childhood had been a cocoon. I was lucky. “I wasn’t afraid to come out. I was giddy with new love.” When I was 21, I learned that cocoons are fragile. I learned that who you love is enough to cause people to turn their backs on you. I discovered that…

It has been a really big week of reflection here. It was our eldest child’s birthday. He had a party with lots of his unschool friends, and spent most of the week gaming. Birthdays always get me reflecting with gratitude and sometimes a bit of parental guilt and remorse. Being the eldest, and the first person in our family identified as autistic, and a determined, spirited, free child, we have…

Once a month, it’s hard to function well – neurodivergence and PMS

This week’s post is about periods, PMS, anxiety, insomnia and neurodivergence. Woo hoo! I’m writing from the end of my once-a-month fall apart.  For a few days every month I exist in a cycle of very little sleep, anxiety, exhaustion, and extreme scattered-ness. I’m not sure what comes first. Do the looping anxious thoughts and feelings of impending doom prevent me from sleeping? Or do the hours…

Screen time, social media and neurodivergence #neurodiversity

I’ve been experiencing some discomfort lately as I unpack and try to put back together my thoughts and feelings about screen time and social media. I have always been extremely supportive of neurodivergent people’s needs and rights to access tech for communication, friendships, and fun. I defend against screen shaming adults whining about young people’s use of screens And yet, the discomfort lies…

A new adventure: Way of the Cactus

Just a little note to let you know about my latest adventure, Way of the Cactus, a social enterprise by and for neurodivergent people. Last year I developed a severe aversion to all products labelled ‘sensory’, ‘autism’ and ‘disability’ resources. What tipped me over? A string of cheap, plastic fidgets and sensory toys that broke, followed by an expensive crash mat that looked awful and split…

There is something better than perfection

This morning, I spied this most beautiful artwork by Herakut, There is something better than perfection. The 15m mural was painted in Frankfurt, Germany “in an area that is dominated by clean-cut bank towers with their immaculate window facades” (here’s background information on the mural and the project) I’ve been staring at the artwork this morning. It’s connected with me. It is the perfect…

Julia the autistic muppet finally joins her friends on TV. What I liked. And didn't like .

A quick run-down of what I loved about Julia, and what has me concerned. This morning I woke to a few posts in my social media feeds about the ‘new’ muppet to hit Sesame Street, Julia. She’s an autistic 4yo with red hair, green eyes, a stuffed toy, and a really, really big smile. She loves picking flowers and painting. I’m an autistic parent with three kids, including autistic almost-4yo twins.…

Neurodivergent parents – You are enough! [Video post]

I often struggle with feelings of inadequacy as a parent, and with frustrations at the ways my neurodivergence bumps up against my children’s needs and society’s expectations of me as a mother. I can’t easily go grocery shopping or do the washing. I get panicked taking my children to group social activities that I didn’t plan. Creating routines my kids might want is incongruent with the way my…

After a big year last year, I’ve been intentionally decreasing my time engaging in activism projects. This year I’ve been playing on instagram, writing a tiny bit, working on business ideas, and hanging with my kids and our friends more. The space has given me an opportunity to notice something amazing happening in my local community. Acceptance is spreading like wildfire. It’s really something…

autistic women, motherhood and friendship

I became a mother not knowing I was autistic. Surprisingly, it was the first time I  was truly aware of how different I am to neurotypical women. In my 20s, I moved cities and left behind high-school friendships. I made choices to work and build friendships in social justice communities. By day I could work with passionate people who shared my interests, and in the evening I could come home to my…

When the world is standing against you -Mickey McNulty

Know that you love your child. Even if you don’t understand everything about them, know that you love them and that is enough. Acceptance takes time. Wow! I was moved when I read the words sent through by Mickey McNulty in response to Ayman Eckford’s questions for LGBTQIA Autistics. Mickey writes with empathy for parents and a strength that comes when you have survived the challenges of coming…