Autism: A Quick Trip To My Home Planet | Monique Botha | TEDxSurreyUniversity
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Published 2016-07-04
Monique is a postgraduate student in the University of Surrey Psychology department who has worked with children with autism for a number of years as a Social Care worker. Having autism herself, it has given her an interesting perception on what autism is with regards to communities both locally and internationally. Now studying psychology, her dissertation focuses on the stress of being of being different faced by individuals on the autism spectrum and how it affects their lives.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
All Comments (21)
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What is wrong with this crowd!? She's cute and funny. Everytime she says something funny she kind of gives a cue that it's ok to find humor in what she's saying...at least that's what I'm getting from her. She has a great sense of humor about herself. Own it. Be yourself. You're perfect the way you are.
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every time her voice wavered every time her tone cracked every time she got choked up i could feel all of it.
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I remember when my teacher told me to look her in the eye, I replied “which eye?”
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I love that her jokes are specifically made for autistic people; I was laughing but nobody else was :p
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I was born autistic 72 years ago but who even knew about it back then? I always considered myself Alice from Alice in Wonderland. The world was a terrifying place and there was no escaping it. Somehow I got through it and here I am. Still alive. I'm so glad I know now why I am the way I am and I'm not so hard on myself now. I still think I'm from another planet.. my real home. I also want to say Monique gave a spot on presentation! You go girl!!
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Fantastically articulated, “...I climb into a skin and pretend to be human...”
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"You don't act like Sheldon Cooper" - "Thank God for that" Totally my sentiment. lol
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Public speaking is one of the scariest things people can do. This woman stood up and did it-- despite the challenges unique to people with autism, despite the fear she was feeling-- because her commitment to her message was stronger that that fear. That is not ordinary-- it's extraordinary. Thank you Monique for helping me see past differences to an area ND and NT share-- the ability to be courageous.
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Back when I still used to have people over to my house, there would always come a time in the evening when I’d tell my friends, “I love you, but it’s time for you to go home.” 😂 One friend said that she actually really liked that about me, because she never had to worry whether she’d overstayed her welcome.
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I cryed listening to this... I am in my thirties and didn't know until month ago why I was so lost ever since kindergarten...
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I remember when my daughter’s school psychologist said during a meeting that my daughter was “too good in math” and her academic scores didn’t reflect autism. It was a slap in the face to her and her life struggles.
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Am I the only one who thinks that she is actually hilarious?!!!! :) It took some time for the audience to warm up...
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Some members of my family said to me when I told them I am autistic, that I am just saying that to "justify my behaviour". And it hurts so badly, because even if they can´t see or touch my inner struggle, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Totally agree with you, society needs to change!
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I’m 56 year old woman and just discovered that I am autistic… I’m so relieved, my entire life makes sense now!
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Monique: "In a conversation, I genuinely won't know what's coming next" Me, someone else with autism, "Wait, people can do that!?"
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I'm autistic, and I suffer from depression, anxiety, and passive suicidal thoughts. Thank you for helping me feel less alone. I wish there was a way to make this narrative replace the other discussions our society has about autism ("why can't you be normal," "how can we cure it," all the facets you touched on).
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"Easier to rewrite the genetic code, than accepting". So true, so sad. My Oldest is on the spectrum. I don't want to "fix" him, he is amazing. But I do want to help him get a good life. I know it is possible but that sentence really hurts because it is true.
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I didn't realize I was on the spectrum until I met my boyfriend who has Asperger's. We clicked immediately and I never found it so easy to communicate with someone else there are no explanations needed. I can now feel comfortable with recently started journey to understanding more about myself
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I have autism. It's not my disability; it's my superpower. I'm not the one who's broken. How is it that people who cannot bring themselves to make direct statements, and cannot take a direct statement literally feel that I am the one with the problem? I've had a first time conversation with someone for the first time, during which she told me that she told me a million times I have to stop being so literal. She thought I'm the one with the communication issue. The rest of society seems to think that I'm the one with the communication issue. I say what I mean. It's easy. Do not take my autism away. For what it's worth, I've encountered a couple of low functioning autistic people who supposedly couldn't speak. After spending some time alone with them, five minutes for one, fifteen minutes for the other, they both spoke. Their English was limited, but it wasn't that they couldn't speak. They didn't want to speak to the people who didn't want to take the time to understand them. I'm sure there are low functioning autistic people who really cannot speak. But I think there's a certain amount of it that's a rejection of the world that would not accept them even if they tried more - would, in fact, accept them less if they tried more.
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"you don't look like sheldon cooper." "well thank god for that." i love her
