I Will Die On This Hill
I Will Die On This Hill
Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World
There is a significant divide between autistic advocates and parents of autistic children. Parents may feel attacked for their lack of understanding, and autistic adults who offer insight and guidance are also met with hostility and rejection.
Meghan Ashburn, a mother of two autistic boys, and Jules Edwards, an autistic parent, were no strangers to this tension and had an adversarial relationship when they first met. Over time, the two resolved their differences and are now co-conspirators in the pursuit of disability justice.
This book unites both perspectives, exploring the rift between these communities and encouraging them to work towards a common goal. It provides context to dividing issues, and the authors use their experience to illustrate where they’ve messed up, where they’ve got things right, and what they’ve learned along the way.
I Will Die On This Hill offers practical, invaluable guidance interwoven with wisdom, humor, and raw honesty to emphasize how critical it is for autistic adults and non-autistic parents to cultivate mutual respect and find 'common ground' despite having differing, and sometimes seemingly parallel perspectives.
I Will Die on This Hill is such a gift for all of us who have been clueless and way too speculative and assuming about autism. I can’t guarantee that this is going to make you a better advocate-it might do that. But more importantly, Ashburn and Edwards’ honest and unsentimental book will make you a better human being and, therefore, a better neighbor, better educator, better family member to Autistic adults, Autism parents and the children who need us all to do better.
If you work with autistic children or have an autistic child in your family, I Will Die on This Hill is the very next book you should read, and maybe the most important book you’ll read in your life.
Meghan Ashburn is a mother of autistic twins. She’s an educational consultant who is passionate about inclusion and accessibility. Meghan is the creator of Not an Autism Mom and hosts That Au-Some Book Club. www.notanautismmom.com
Jules Edwards is an autistic activist and parent of autistic children. She is the writer of Autistic, Typing, and works to educate the community and influence policy to promote disability justice. www.autistictyping.com
1. If Only I Knew Back Then
2. A Different Lens
3. The Indoctrination of an Autism Mom
4. What a Relief!
5. Why are You Yelling at Me?
6. We’ve Heard it All Before
7. Misinformation Campaigns
8. It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way
9. They’re Worth It!
10. High Stakes Advocacy
11. Building Trust
12. In the Passenger Seat
13. Productive Conflict
14. In Autistic Space
15. Finding My Niche
