My name is Emma Stanley and I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I post a monthly blog on the Scottish Autism website which I think helps me with my autism. I started my blog because I feel that there is not enough information about women with autism out there. My goal is to help other women with autism understand their condition and to help people without autism understand what it is like to be living as a woman with autism.

I also want to see more recognition for women and for support to be more tailored, especially in areas like relationships and friendships. I think women need different support to men with these kinds of things.

I feel that posting my monthly blog has helped me cope with my condition and it has made me feel a lot happier. It makes me feel that I have achieved something great and knowing that I may have helped other women (with or without autism) understand the condition more, is a very happy feeling. Writing the blog helps with my feelings of frustration. I can channel my feelings at the computer rather than people. It’s hard to say what specifically makes me feel frustrated but it’s a good outlet. Before the blog, I would rely on support staff but writing the blog makes me feel more in charge. I can write about what I want to, I am in control. I write things in my blog book then I use this to write the actual blog each month. I don’t have a favourite thing to write about, I just like to get it all out there. It’s a bit like a campaign, a campaign to say that autistic people should be treated like everyone else. In my blog I like to include things that I have achieved, things that make me happy, how I am feeling in general life and how I feel I have coped that month.

I am generally a happy person. I love music, especially 80’s music. Seeing my mum happy also makes me happy. She is the strongest person I know. The blog helps with my wellbeing, it helps me cope and I would encourage other autistic people to blog too.

Here is an excerpt from one of my recent blogs:

“I have been to see Bananarama in concert and it was the original line up!

We got to the Hydro and we were a bit early so we had a walk round, apparently next door the little muffins as I call them (little mix) were next door. We got in the wrong queue, we got in the VIP queue with the backstage passes for the meet and greet which we didn’t have so he directed us to the other queue and we got in eventually and I bought myself a Bananarama hoodie which is lovely and warm. I bought myself a packet of crisps and a bottle of Diet Irn Bru, we got up to our level that our seats were on and then we had to sit outside for a while as they were still setting up. They did warn us that they had strobes in their lighting, but it was not too bad it was nice and soft and they had a backdrop of old videos of themselves which was good. It was almost a sell-out, there were a few empty seats, they were pleased to see us all and it was amazing to see how many middle-aged men were there dare I say it! I got a bit overwhelmed but once I got used to the crowd and the Bananas came on I really got into the music and started dancing…”

Read more of Emma’s blogs at www.scottishautism.org/blog