People of 小优短视频: Student uses painting to share autism journey
May 6, 2022
What鈥檚 your story?
The 小优短视频 community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives 鈥攁nd we鈥檙e sharing them as part of an ongoing series.
People of 小优短视频: Meet Emily Slaght
I created the Spectrum series, which is about the struggles I faced as a very young child not recognizing or having the full awareness of the spectrum disorder.
It鈥檚 mostly the reflection of what I faced and struggled with as a child, especially in the education system. I had the minimum support.
It鈥檚 basically an emotional and mental journey of my disorder, and others鈥 journeys of symptoms people have faced.
The reason I created these androgynous creatures in the art is because I feel it affects everyone, especially when it comes to gender and people of colour.
鈥榊ou can get autism whether you鈥檙e Black or white, male or female, or in between.鈥
In my opinion, people don鈥檛 realize the diagnosis system is very gender biased and racial biased, as if only white, cisgender men get diagnosed with autism, which is not true.
Everybody gets it. You can get autism whether you鈥檙e Black or white, male or female, or in between.
It鈥檚 important to challenge the world on what we鈥檙e able to do.
Autism is not a disease. It is a disorder, but we live everyday lives and conquer challenges, so it鈥檚 really important for people to recognize that.
I鈥檝e recognized more of my disorder recently, especially at the beginning of the pandemic.
I鈥檝e faced more burnouts and more sensory overloads and stimming and masking.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to challenge the world on what we鈥檙e able to do.鈥
Emily Slaght
I get sensory overload, for example, every time I socialize with people in a very crowded area. Afterward I feel mentally and physically exhausted.
Masking is one of the more personal behaviours, and repetitive motion is what I鈥檝e experienced the most with me.
For instance, if it鈥檚 a TV series or a celebrity I was really interested in, I would have this fixated interest and talk to everybody about it.
It鈥檚 very interesting to take in my experience with this disorder and incorporate it into my artwork.
Emily Slaght, a student graduating from 小优短视频鈥檚 Fine Arts program this June. Check out more of .
See it in person at the in Barrie as part of the by 小优短视频 students until May 22.