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Autism is something[br]that many people know about.

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For example, some people think

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that autistic people[br]are fair-skinned males

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that speak in monotone,

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and constantly go on and on[br]about the same topic.

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Some people think that autistic people[br]do not know right from wrong,

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avoid attention

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and usually say the wrong thing[br]at the wrong time.

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Some people think that autistic people[br]are socially awkward

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and lack humor and empathy.

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Now if you agree with what I just said,

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I'm sorry to tell you,

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but you do not have[br]the right impression of autism.

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How do I know?

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Because I have autism.

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I do have my own obsessions[br]with things like electronics,

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and public transit,

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but that does not define me.

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Each of us are different[br]and unique in our own way.

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However, there is not[br]a lot of information out there

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on what an autistic life[br]actually looks like.

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So people often resort to stereotypes.

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And we see these often in the media.

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Some of the more common[br]stereotypes in the media

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include being socially awkward,

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lacking empathy,

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and even being a super genius.

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And the lack of knowledge[br]on autism doesn't stop there, either.

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Did you know that some people[br]are trying to find a cure for autism?

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That's because they see it[br]as a negative thing,

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as a disease.

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Many people are challenging the idea

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and to us, we think autism[br]is not a disease.

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It's just another way of thinking[br]and looking at the world.

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Our brains function differently[br]from most people's brains.

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Think of it like comparing[br]and Xbox and a PlayStation.

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They're both highly capable consoles[br]with different programming.

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But if you put your Xbox game[br]in a PlayStation,

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it won't work because the PlayStation[br]communicates differently.

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When I look in the mirror,

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I see someone who thinks differently.

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Oh, and I also see nice hair.

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(Laughter)

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(Applause)

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But the question is,

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am I really diseased[br]if I just think differently?

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The main problem with living autistic[br]in today's society

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is that the world just isn't built for us.

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There's so many ways[br]that we can get overwhelmed.

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For example,

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the thing that makes me overwhelmed[br]all the time is loud noises.

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Which means I never[br]crank up my music really loud

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and I usually am not a fan[br]of large parties.

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But other people on the spectrum[br]might get overwhelmed

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with things like bright lights[br]or strong smells

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or gooey textures.

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They all have the potential[br]to create anxiety.

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Think about all of the social gatherings

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you've been to in the past.

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Was there loud music playing?

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Were there really bright lights?

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Were there lots of different food smells[br]going on at the same time?

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Were there lots of conversations[br]happening all at once?

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Those things may not[br]have bothered you guys,

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but for someone with autism,

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they can be quite overwhelming.

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So in those situations,[br]we do something called stimming.

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Which is like a repetitive[br]motion or a noise

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or some other random fidgeting[br]that may or may not seem normal.

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Some people will flap their arms

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or make a noise or spin.

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It's basically our way of zoning out.

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It can often feel necessary[br]for us to stim.

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However, it's often frowned upon,

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and we're forced to hide it.

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When we're forced to hide[br]our autistic traits like this,

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it's called masking.

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And some people mask better than others.

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I mask so well sometimes

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that people don't even know I'm autistic

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until I give them the big reveal.

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(Laughs)

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But at the end of the day,[br]it gets really stressful.

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Even something like[br]doing my homework at night

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becomes very tiring.

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Some people think

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that because of our ability to mask

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that this is the cure to autism.

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However, all it really does[br]is make us ashamed

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of showing our true selves.

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Another common stereotype

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that is often associated with autism

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is that autistic people lack empathy.

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And again, this is not true.

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I actually have lots of empathy.

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I'm just not really good at showing it.

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Whenever a friend is trying to tell me

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some of the struggles[br]that they're going through,

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I often don't know[br]how to express my reply.

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And that is why I don't show[br]as much empathy

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as my non-autistic friends do.

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Emotional expression,

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however much or however little[br]is difficult for me.

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And that is because I am bursting inside

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with every single emotion[br]one feels at all times.

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Though of course,[br]I cannot express it that way.

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Otherwise let's say,[br]happiness, for example,

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would come out as a huge burst[br]of gleeful wheezing,

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hand flapping and loud vocal "woohoos."

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(Laughter)

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Whereas you may just smile.

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(Laughter)

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Whether it be receiving[br]an awesome birthday gift

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or listening to a tragic[br]story on the news,

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I cannot really express my reply[br]without bursting,

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so once again I have to mask it

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in order to appear normal.

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My inner feelings are unlimited,

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but my mind only lets me[br]express extremes or nothing.

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So my ...

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I am not great with my emotions,

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and I communicate differently,

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and because of that I was diagnosed[br]with autism spectrum disorder.

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This diagnosis helps me[br]and my friends and family

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to know how my mind works.

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And in the world,

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approximately one percent[br]of the population

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is diagnosed with autism[br]spectrum disorder.

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And this number is growing.

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However, we are still a big minority.

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And there's still lots of people[br]that do not see us as equals

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to other people.

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This is my family.

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And in my family,

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there is one other person[br]who is also autistic.

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My mother.

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Yes, adult women can also be autistic.

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My dad and my brother[br]are both non-autistic.

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Sometimes it can be a bit difficult[br]for us to communicate with each other,

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however.

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Sometimes I'll say something like,

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"Oh, Toronto's Union station," right?

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Thinking that I can

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help them to remember[br]certain aspects of it.

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When they get confused, I often[br]have to elaborate myself on that.

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And we often have to say things

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in a number of different ways[br]so that everyone understands.

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However, despite all that,

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we all love each other[br]and respect each other as equals.

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In his book "Neurotribes,"

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author Steve Silberman states

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that autism and other mental conditions

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should be seen as naturally human,

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naturally part of a human spectrum

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and not as defects.

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And this is something[br]that I agree to completely.

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If autism was seen as part[br]of a natural human spectrum,

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then the world could be designed

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to work better for autistic people.

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I am not ashamed of my autism.

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And I may not think like you,

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or act like you,

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but I am still human[br]and I am not diseased.

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Thank you.

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(Applause)