Celebrating Pride Month with...Fuchsia Carter

Happy Pride Month to all our supporters! To celebrate, we’re interviewing autistic members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Next up, we spoke to Fuchsia Carter, autistic woman, keynote speaker, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Fuchsia works in recruitment for AMS, helping clients to make reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities.

She recently spoke at a GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day) event, where she shared her experience of autism and being a wheelchair user with over 2,000 people.

We chatted to Fuchsia about the joys and challenges of being autistic, seeing life through a 5D technicolour lens, and the importance of inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community.

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When were you diagnosed as autistic?

I think my story is normal for an older autistic woman. I was not diagnosed until I was 34, in 2019, three days before my 35th birthday. I was having another dyslexia test for work, as insurance needed a new one for new equipment and a laptop. The last time I was tested I was 21. It took three hours and I was exhausted, as I am very severely dyslexic and struggle with reading and writing.

At the end of the test, the psychologist turned to me and said: ‘do you know you are autistic?’. I was like ‘erm.... no, but now everything makes sense’. From that moment on, I read all I could about autism and my entire childhood/teenage years suddenly became clear.

What is being autistic like for you?

 I honestly love it. I now understand why I am the way I am, and I no longer feel like such a troubled, destructive person.

I have always known I am utterly different. I always thought everyone had an internal monologue or would info-dump, or would see something and hear a piece of music in their heads. I thought everyone got overwhelmed by sound or light. When I hit my late twenties, I realised what I experience was not normal, but it was put down to bad mental health.

I keep saying that I wish people could see the world like me...

A 5D technicolour movie, where everything is so bright and loud and beautiful. Yes, overwhelming but so, so beautiful. I see, hear, taste and smell everything and at times all at once.

"I see the world as a 5D technicolour movie, where everything is so bright and loud and beautiful. I see, hear, taste and smell everything and at times all at once."

It is as though I have no fewer than ten internet tabs open in my head at one time, and I am looking at them all simultaneously. I am overloading a super computer and it is absolutely amazing, painful, exhausting and beautiful.

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Could you share some of your experiences as an autistic member of the LGBTQ+ community who also uses a wheelchair?

I have honestly found it a very open place when it comes to my autism, sadly not so much when it comes to me being a wheelchair user.

Let me give you an example: I had the experience where someone I had been chatting to online claimed I had hidden my disability from them. It felt like their attitude and mood towards me changed. I could not understand it. It really hurt. It was like it was perfectly ok for me to be autistic but being a wheelchair user was a step too far.

Sadly, the LGBTQ+ community has its issues with disability as much as the straight dating scene.

When it comes to being autistic...

It does surprise me that when I explain I am autistic to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, the response normally goes like this: “Cool cool, so what is your favourite drink?”

It's just another thing - no fuss, no judgement. They are sometimes even disinterested. It's so funny to me. There is far more acceptance now.

Will you be celebrating Pride this year and what are the challenges you face as an autistic person who uses a wheelchair?

Sadly, I have never celebrated Pride. I have never been able to go due to access issues. I have always been turned away at the gates by security as apparently my wheelchair makes me a health and safety risk. It’s heart breaking.

This year, due to coronavirus restrictions, Brighton Pride (my nearest Pride town) is still not happening. Although I am sad about that on behalf of others, I am happy that there are now online events which I can celebrate too. Even at my work we had 24-hours of Pride and it was so much fun. I felt so included.

"I am happy that there are now online events which I can celebrate too. At my work we had 24-hours of Pride online and it was so much fun. I felt so included."

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What needs to change for Pride to become more inclusive for autistic members of the LGBTQ+ community?

I think there needs to be a little more understanding that not everyone will want loud music, screaming crowds, lots of people and brightness. Although it is lovely, it can be very overwhelming and exhausting for autistic people.

Having quiet areas, sensory pods and the like, would be helpful. Online events for people who want to join but can’t physically be there are also great. There can be so many options.

"There needs to be more understanding that not everyone will want loud music, screaming crowds, lots of people and brightness."

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"At my work, we celebrated Pride online. It was so much fun, and I felt so included."

Fuchsia Carter
- on Pride as an autistic woman and a wheelchair user