Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer Cook O'Toole

3 reviews

amandakitz's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

As a fellow gifted, late-diagnosed autistic, I related to much of this book. She spoke powerfully concerning her own experience, research, and accomplishments, and her commentary on bullying, self-harm, and domestic abuse in the lives of girls and women on the spectrum was moving and gave me an avenue to process many experiences I hadn't processed before.

I can see how some autists would struggle to connect with her giftedness, and I struggled to connect with her material privilege often through this book. There are many privileges that would make her story unrelatable to various people. With that in mind, I found it powerful to see her illustrate that giftedness, conventional attractiveness or "pretty privilege", accomplishments and accolades, fame and fortune still do not overpower the perceptions and expectations neurotypical people have of us and the trauma they can cause. Every time she mentioned one of those privileges and I was tempted to disconnect, I leaned into the message that no privilege protects you from how neurotypicals treat autistic people. I wish she had addressed those privileges and how intersectional identities compound the disadvantages we as autistic people face.

There is one section that is truly problematic. In one section, the author coopts Sojourner Truth's "Aint I a Woman?" speech to make a comment about how neurotypical women treat neurodivergent women as lesser. The well-deserved criticism of this section and the failure to acknowledge her privilege in light of the intersectional identities of folks with marginalized genders on the spectrum should be considered. I hope she listens, honors that criticism, and updates later editions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Racism, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

There are accounts of medical trauma, gaslighting, and abuse throughout, with whole chapters on bullying, domestic violence, and self harm/eating disorders. She includes warnings at the beginning of those chapters with permission to skip.

jenny_librarian's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

This was a good insight on another autistic perspective. I appreciate finally reading about an autistic woman who likes dressing up and breaks the stereotype of the androgynous-looking autistic.

It’s a pretty interesting biography/nonfiction about autism that isn’t written like you typical nonfiction. That’s because autistic folks aren’t typical. The author instead chose to divide it in topics and struggles she faced — both before and since her diagnosis.

Like all books by autistic folks about being autistic, it’s only one person’s perspective. This person in particular is extraordinary in some aspects, and that made it hard for me to relate. However, many of the things she mentioned about being autistic felt quite close to home.

I wish we got books about average autistic folks. Yes, it might be less interesting in general, but those of us who aren't incredibly intelligent or didn’t have to live through sexual assault or an eating disorder could actually see ourselves. Because, unfortunately, in the end I can’t relate that much to the authors of the books I’ve read so far on the spectrum. I’m just not special enough, and I’m sure many other autistic folks feel that way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction and Cancer

livlamentloathe's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

This is a NonFiction book and discusses the topics included in my content warnings. But comes from a place of education and the author's past. It does not use abuse or sexism as a weapon but explains why it can occur for autistic individuals.