- “NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity” by Steve Silberman
- Originally Published in 2015 with a reprint in 2016 to update information about Hans Asperger’s as the original version did not make it clear he was indeed a Nazi. This book a good job explaining how the anti-vaccine movement started and how desperate parents were only able to find the wrong answers.
- “We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation” by Eric Garcia
- This is a great follow up to “NeuroTribes”, which fills in some gaps such as how gender and race influence both diagnoses and acceptance. It’s also written from the perspective of Autistic individuals, as Garcia is himself autistic, while Silberman is not.
- “Autistic and Black: Our Experiences of Growth, Progress and Empowerment” by Kala Allen Omeiza
- This book adds additional perspectives to the conversation about autism and how it impacts people differently. There is a good mixture of how individuals view autism and how it has impacted their lives for good and bad. It also has a reminder of the multiple reasons why person first language is sometimes necessary. It can be a matter of safety to avoid calling attention to any perceived difference
- “Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism” by Elsa Sjunneson
- An great book that mixes personal stories with Deafblind history and criticisms of portrayals of disability in various mediums.
- “Disposable: America’s Contempt for the Underclass” by Sarah Jones
- A good look at the various issues around COVID disparities and the vastly different outcomes because of race, disability and/or poverty. The author uses various peoples’ stories to showcase all the different situations and outcomes.
- “He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters” by Schuyler Bailar
- The author does a good job using both personal stories and additional facts to provide information about what being Trans means and how gender is never as simple as male or female. There’s also a lot of discussion around the discrimination Trans people face and how the sports and bathroom bans are the result of manufactured outrage.