Author: Bex
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‘Be your own Representation’: Being Different in a Sport of Privilege
Being in a minority group, as is the way with conditions such as Autism and ADHD, can often be a lonely experience. While you often find your own people who will stick with you and support you through the highs and lows, involving yourself in activities such as competitive sport can be isolating. Sure, there…
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Flight, fight or freeze: My body’s reaction to being overwhelmed
Meltdowns, and their lesser-known counterpart, shutdowns, are often a taboo subject. Often, when people think of a meltdown, the word ‘tantrum’ is used and for some people, the image of a screaming child comes to mind. The reality of how autistic bodies react in difficult situations is often much more complex than one might believe.…
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Pushing the Boat Out: My Next Big Challenge
We often don’t recognise that with neurodivergency, often comes the challenge of belief in oneself. I’d be lying if I said that this wasn’t a challenge for me, or one that I don’t still face on a daily basis. The roots of this go back to childhood. With many around me at my first primary…
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Gender, Sailing and Me.
This blog, for the most part, is about neurodivergence. I feel that there is a lot to be said about the experiences of neurodivergent sailors like me, how we navigate challenges on and off the water, and what others can do to make our sport and general society more inclusive towards us. However, there is…
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Invisible Inclusion: The Challenges for a Neurodivergent Sailor
People often say things to me such as ‘autism – is that really a disability?’ or ‘maybe you are just different’, and are therefore surprised when I reveal the challenges I live with day-to-day. In regards to sailing, while I am (for the most part) capable of sailing a capsizable hiking dinghy, I often find…