As many of you know, growing up neurodiverse or disabled can range from a variety of approaches. But if you grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, you grew up during a time where various resources were seemingly impossible to find simply because they were not available and did not exist.
This is the case with Marc Pulver, an autism self-advocate originally based in Florida but now living in Los Angeles, CA and whom I had the pleasure of meeting this past fall during one of my job assignments with Autism Tree Project Foundation in San Diego, CA.
What I like about Marc’s book is that he faced challenges from the moment he was born, having grown up with a brain that was blue. He also talks about going through a very tough educational process, having emotional outbursts and getting sent to the principal’s office on a frequent basis.
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The importance of this book is that Marc covers growing up neurodiverse during a time in society where autism was viewed far differently than what it was today. For one thing, society in the 1960s was very much polarized with assassinations of JFK, MLK and RFK as well as the Vietnam War. People would often view autism as something that would result in someone being institutionalized because society couldn’t take them for who they were.
Although Marc does explain that during the 1960s, he did have the opportunity to attend several special education schools. One thing that has developed over the past century is that while there are special education schools still in operation, many public schools have managed to intergrate special education into regular educational systems.
This, to me, is an example of how DEI works in the educational aspect as it gives special education students a chance to be amongst their peers.
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Marc Pulver attending the San Diego Symphony with Autism Tree Project Foundation in October 2021…
Marc also gives an insight into what parenting was like in the mid 20th century as his father taught him in a forceful manner to face his fears, especially when it came to dogs. The fact of the matter is that while we all need to face our fears, it’s really important to take baby steps when it comes to neurodiverse and disabled individuals. One thing that really gripes me as a self-advocate is that I see many families being forceful on their children. Maybe they need to be forced for a variety of reasons, but in reality, parents are really doing more harm than good on their children.
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Finally, and just in time for Valentine’s Day at the time of this review, Marc also talks about being in several romantic relationships. As I read this book, I read that he had several relationships with one of them involving the law, in a negative sense. It goes to show that being in romantic relationships isn’t a bad thing for those that want to pursue those options.
However, if you are seeking a romantic relationship, make sure you are up to it and be sure to learn the dos and don’ts of dating, something that Marc had to learn the hard way growing up. Recently, I had to learn the hard way myself when it came to dating and controlling certain feelings around women.
In reality, when all is said and done, I personally find dating to be awkward and uncomfortable.
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But if you want to see the world from Marc’s point of view, be sure to check out his book on Amazon.com!!
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