Multiply neurodivergent scientist, counselor, and citizen of the world. JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), warrior. Actually Autistic, Ehlers-Danlos, Gamer, and Fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Spectrumforlife.com https://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3mpqslprqms2a1/ Structural discrimination is discrimination produced by policies, rules, institutional practices, funding priorities, decision-making systems, and assumptions. It does not require any one person to intend harm. It happens when structures consistently disadvantage a marginalized group. [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Jul 2026 14:57 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpqslprqms2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3mnnwbbotm223I’m featured in When Autistic Kids Grow Up, a 5-part podcast series by Brady Huggett for The Transmitter. Part 1 tells the story of my early life, my family’s humble beginnings, & my childhood as an undiagnosed autistic child in an undiagnosed autistic family https://www.thetransmitter.org/when-autistic-kids-grow-up/when-autistic-kids-grow-up-chapter-1-those-people/07 Jun 2026 00:34 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnnwbbotm223https://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3m27evzylf22oWhat a coincidental citation! I was recently cited in Chester et al's work on Autistic people and the criminal justice system. While, it is always an honor for my work to be cited, this work is particularly interesting because... https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14789949.2025.255883302 Oct 2025 10:48 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3m27evzylf22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lzlhxhrag22vWe require unifying theories of autism that can adequately account for complexity. My published theory of autism deals with the complexity of the intrinsic value of autistic traits and their interaction with co-occurring conditions. Co-occurring conditions, including marginalization, disable autism.24 Sep 2025 12:49 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzlhxhrag22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lzlhnczhck2vI have no desire to discuss the recent national declaration of nonsense about autism. I try to avoid suffering fools and have no desire to dignify the declaration in any way beyond this statement.24 Sep 2025 12:43 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzlhnczhck2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lveebur2ps2sWow, my research on Autistic Identity with the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS) received quite a bit of publication attention last month! Pleased to be cited in this review of autistic women's experiences: #autism #actuallyautistic http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.157896301 Aug 2025 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lveebur2ps2shttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lved3z7xfc2fAlso honored that my work on self-diagnosed autistic adults is cited in this article validating the DSM Social Anxiety Severity Scale for use with Autistic Adults. Super happy to see more research including self-diagnosed autistic adults! #autism #actuallyautistic lnkd.in/evsk4G4s https://lnkd.in/evsk4G4s01 Aug 2025 18:52 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lved3z7xfc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lvecyw7vhk2fHonored that my work in autistic identity was cited in this article focused on their measure (Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory). This inventory may become a boon for self-diagnosed/identifying autistic adults. #autism #actuallyautistic https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1362361325134774001 Aug 2025 18:51 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lvecyw7vhk2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lne6gnm7hs2rIn case you couldn't hear it in the back row: "We [every major autism organization in the US] are deeply concerned by growing public rhetoric and policy decisions that challenge these shared principles. https://www.aucd.org/news/leading-autism-organizations-release-joint-statement-on-upholding-scientific-integrity-and-supporting-the-autism-community?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Disability%20Policy%20News%20%7C%20April%2018%2C%202025%20%7C%20Vol%20%20MMXXVVVIII%20%7C%20Issue%20108&utm_campaign=DPN%204%201821 Apr 2025 22:07 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lne6gnm7hs2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3ln3pnmrn5s2pWhat is being said about Autism is Atrocious and False. Autistic people work, they go on dates, they play sports, they write poetry. To say autistic people do not do these things is like saying humans do not do these things. Not all humans do all of these things; neither do all autistic people.18 Apr 2025 13:21 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3ln3pnmrn5s2phttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lkvkzbxgqc2mIn the past, Congress decided that children with disabilities are **Worth** educating. This is the Department that prevented, and continues to prevent, States from discriminating against students with disabilities. See link for full post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/t-a-meridian-mcdonald_on-march-20-2025-president-trump-signed-activity-7308874585439916034-DwXM?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAoauo0BzVvFP4iOJMls9tCP3lHXpCM9qv021 Mar 2025 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkvkzbxgqc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/dr-t-a-mcdonald.bsky.social/post/3lkp6uf4if22kChildren do not Die of Autism. People do not Die from Autism. People *DO* die from being unvaccinated. Indeed, it is likely that autistic people are *more* vulnerable to not being vaccinated as they are more likely to have co-occurring health conditions. https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2025/03/10/cdc-to-revisit-debunked-link-between-vaccines-and-autism/31340/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJHEgxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHelt_sfIqQqXZ0voWQvxbXqCgCjNabPmAo_E7xBra9AnajmFRbRRfwxASg_aem_Zyqe4NVx3cJTsN8zQjKmww19 Mar 2025 02:59 +0000at://did:plc:npyn2dkjmiahz5j3arc4okz3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkp6uf4if22k