Sydney Morning Herald pro special interests column

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I have autism and my special interests go something like this. Swap a love of trains with a love of self-help books, and trade bus timetables for fashion magazines. Replace number plates with numerology, phone books with astrology, statistics with exercise, engineering with acupuncture, Lego with Barbie, and Disney with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Although I wasn't officially diagnosed as autistic until last year, my parents have always supported these interests. And I see now that their doing so helped me to survive kindergarten, primary school, High school, University, acting school and working life.

Our passions are a part of us. It doesn't matter who we are, where we live, or our age. And if there's an answer or cure or remedy to the pain and frustration that can go with the sensitivities of autism, it has to be celebrating what gives us joy - because I don't know where or who I would be without it.