March is Women’s History Month. This week The Art of Autism is featuring 21 women on the autism spectrum who are making a difference. This is part 2 of a 3 part series. Read Part 1 and Part 3.

The Art of Autism is grateful for the many autistic women who contribute to a better understanding of autism in females through their writing, their art, and their advocacy. These women are unafraid to tell their stories and share their insights.

Donna Williams is an Australian writer, artist, poet, speaker, and songwriter. At age two she was misdiagnosed as “psychotic.” In 1991 at the age of 28 she was diagnosed as autistic and wrote four autobiographical books that detailed her life which have become classics, especially her books Nobody Nowhere and Somebody Somewhere. Over the last couple of years Donna has bravely chronicled her battle with cancer.

Amanda Baggs is an autistic non-speaking woman who blogs and has posted on youtube one of the most watched videos on autism titled In My Language . The first part of the video is in her native language and the second part she explains her language.

Gee Vero is a German-born autistic artist and mother of an autistic child who has created “The Inclusion Project” a collaborative art exhibit which featured a 1/2 face and asked prominent people to complete the other 1/2. The project was about inclusion and acceptance of autistic people.

Jeanette Purkis s an Australian-born autistic women who eloquently blogs, writes and speaks about her experiences with dual-diagnosis. She is a champion for those who have both autism and a mental health diagnosis.

Kimberly Gerry-Tucker is an American writer, blogger, artist and poet and author of the book Under the Banana Moon (living, loving, loss and Aspergers). Kimberly’s art is on the cover of “Artism: The Art of Autism: Shattering Myths.”

Judy Endow MSW, LCSW is an autistic author, artist, consultant and speaker. She writes and speaks on numerous subjects including the hidden curriculum and employment.

Angela Weddle is an international artist on the autism spectrum. She credits her autism to giving her focus with color and attention to detail in her work. She is a contributing blogger and artist to the Art of Autism project.

Tomorrow we look at more women on the autism spectrum.