Marxist. Trade Unionist. Socialist-feminist. Author. Poet. Speaker. Tutor. RMT ex-Exec. Workers' Liberty. Autie. Bi. PUFC fan.
Autistic people face discrimination and prejudice in a society which expects us to understand and fit in with social rules that are not of our making.
Published on the Jessica Kingsley Publishers blog. Autism educator Damian Milton (South Bank University, National Autistic Society) recently spoke with author Janine Booth about some of the issues raised in her new book, Autism Equality in the Workplace: Removing Barriers and Challenging … Read More
This article – http://www.hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/diversity-news/workplaces-need-to-be-more-autism-friendly/51541 – in HR Review, outlines the usefulness of the ‘Autism in the Workplace guide’ I wrote for the TUC in 2014.
Click here to read Unionlearn’s plug for Janine’s new book, Autism Equality in the Workplace. Unionlearn is a great resource for trade union learning representatives, and for all trade unionists interested in gaining knowledge and skills and encouraging workmates to do … Read More
Welcome to our month of Autism Bewareness No demands for equal rights or fairness Reshaping round holes into squareness You’ll miss the point if you are careless For it’s our charity’s consensus That those afflicted are defenceless We want a cure … Read More
On 13 January, I addressed Hackney’s Health and Wellbeing Board as part of its Patient Voice agenda item, discussing provision for autistic adults in the Borough. Rather belatedly, Hackney is now considering a draft plan to implement its duties under … Read More
‘Sonnet’ means ‘little song’; Saga Noren is the (autistic) lead character in Swedish/Danish crime drama The Bridge. A little song across a Bridge to link A multi-neuro-lingual Tower of Babel Two tongues, two countries, varied ways to think On fire … Read More
Published as a blog post on TUC unionlearn: Three years ago, at the age of 45, I was diagnosed as autistic. It made complete sense to me, like being short-sighted all my life and finally getting a pair of glasses! … Read More
LUL Fit for the Future Stations Equality Impact Assessment Disability discrimination cases in LUL Employers’ disability policies Proposed employment policy on Autism RMT training Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) UK Disability History Month UN to investigate UK government Access to … Read More
Caused by what fors and closed doors Something’s up on the upper floors Down on all fours Looking for an explanation Must be caused by vaccination Not-so-innocent innoculation Caused by flaws or some mutation Looking for the insanity clause Looking … Read More
Janine performing ‘Manifesto from Behind the Mask’, a poem about being autistic and trying to fit into society, and about how society might change to make it easier for autistic people to fit in. This performance was recorded at the … Read More
It’s something I am, not something I’ve got Although that may seem a fine line You can’t separate us – oh no, you can not It isn’t Asperger’s – it’s mine!
Make me a mask so that no-one can see That the face that I’m wearing is not really me Get me a glaze to go over my eyes To look like I’m looking while melting inside Fetch me some specs … Read More
On 11 October 2014, I was the guest speaker at the Disability Conference of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), held in Leeds. I addressed the conference about Autism in the Workplace, and got great feedback from delegates!
On 23rd June 2012, Steven Simpson, a gay autistic student, was verbally abused, stripped, and his body scrawled with offensive slogans. He was then doused in tanning oil and 20-year-old Jordan Sheard set fire to his crotch with a cigarette … Read More
This is the speech that I gave in the opening plenary of Workers’ Liberty’s ‘Ideas for Freedom’ event in 2013 – originally published here. On 23rd June 2012, Steven Simpson, a gay autistic student, was verbally abused, stripped, and his … Read More
from the TUC handbook, Autism in the Workplace The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism (APPGA) is a formal cross-party backbench group of MPs and Peers who share an interest in autism and Asperger syndrome. It was set up in February 2000. Its … Read More
From the TUC handbook, Autism in the Workplace “We know that LAs [local authorities] have had their budgets slashed and are making cuts which are impacting on adults with autism and families living with autism. Families are being told that they will … Read More
From the TUC handbook, Autism in the Workplace In 2013, Labour MP Ian Mearns introduced a Ten-Minute Rule Bill to require the police to maintain a register of hate crimes committed against people with learning difficulties, learning disabilities and autism. During the … Read More
From the TUC handbook, Autism in the Workplace The trade union movement supports the demand of the disabled people’s movement: ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’. Many trade unions have structures for disabled members; if so, it may be useful to invite and … Read More
From the TUC handbook, Autism in the Workplace Refusal of time off: An employer may refuse a request for time off, for example a career break or a period of leave to adjust and make arrangements when a dependant is diagnosed … Read More