The Missing Piece

Disabilities are commonly thought of as barriers. Naomi Rubin (she/her) says that, "Autism is not a hindrance; instead, it can be a booster." As a recurring co-star on the Netflix show, Atypical, and a company member of The Miracle Project, Naomi believes her gift of acting comes from her ASD. Naomi explains that her love of the arts comes from the creativity and imagination given to her by her autism. She takes pride in the abilities it's given her. Naomi and Annie also unpack the gendered dimensions of autistic gifts. Naomi highlights that there are gender differences across special passions and speaks to her pull to relational interests, as is more often the case for women on the spectrum.  It is time, according to Naomi, to start recognizing the power of autistic people. Whether that means hiring more autistic actors or listening to more autistic stories, these are people whose experiences and gifts are worth sharing with the world. By highlighting the powers of autism, Naomi is truly reshaping what it means to be autistic. Tune into our second episode, featuring actress, Naomi Rubin!