I was pleased to see my book Growing in to Autism reviewed in Meanjin, and flattered to be described by the reviewer as ‘an asset to other autistic people’. The review by Caitlin McGregor, A World Outside a Diagnostic Manual, makes some valid and important points about the dominant representation in the media of white, speaking, late-diagnosed autistics. Autistic people are consistently under-represented and mis-represented in entertainment media ⁴ and news media ⁵

However, I was deeply disturbed by Ms McGregor’s contention that in places my book contributes to autism stereotypes by presenting autistic people as a generalisation (even making an emotive comparison to descriptions of dog breeds). As an autistic person and an autism advocate I am intensely aware of the harms associated with autism stereotypes,⁶ and of ensuring that I do not promulgate these.