Autistic Professionals Network - Wellington

You are warmly invited to the Autistic Professionals Network Wellington monthly social!
It's your haven for relaxed networking and camaraderie in a chill space. Grab a drink or snack at the bar, kick back, and have a great time. Whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, we welcome you with open arms.

Inside The Arborist:
We have a reservation in their private Function Room. Come through the main entrance, then keep going straight, all the way to the end of the bar.

Deals At the Arborist:
The event starts at 6:00pm, but The Arborist has happy hour with 2 for $20 slushies (frozen cocktails) from 4-6pm. Feel free to order at the bar before 6:00pm to grab this deal.

Finding Our Group:
We will be hanging out in the function room at the very end of the bar. Just go through the sliding door on the ground floor. If you happen to get lost or need someone to meet you outside to show you the way, don't hesitate to message our Facebook page.

Let’s enjoy a calm and creative morning together at The Dowse Art Museum.
We’ll explore the exhibitions with a guided tour, then head to the workshop for an optional art making activity where you can create something to take home.

Plan for the Morning
10:00am
Arrive at The Dowse and meet the group in the main foyer. We’ll take a moment to settle in and say hello.

10:10am
Begin our guided tour of the exhibitions. The tour is relaxed and designed to be enjoyable for autistic adults.

10:45am
Move to the workshop space for a cuppa and the optional art making activity. The activity is three dollars per person and can be paid individually at the front desk.

11:45am
Wrap up the workshop and take some time to chat or explore the museum shop.

12:00pm
Event concludes.

Accessibility and Comfort
• A quiet breakout room will be available for anyone who needs a low sensory space
• You can step out and rejoin at any time
• The environment is supportive and flexible
• You are welcome to participate in whichever parts feel right for you

After the event
Some members often choose to go out for lunch together. This is not part of the official event, but you’re welcome to organise something on the day if you’d like to. If you want to host or plan the lunch in advance, you can contact the host and it can be added to this event description so everyone knows the plan.

Key Details
Date: Sunday 19 April
Time: 10am to 12pm
Cost: Tour is free. Art making activity is three dollars per person

We Look forward to seeing you!

You are warmly invited to the Autistic Professionals Network Wellington monthly social!
It's your haven for relaxed networking and camaraderie in a chill space. Grab a drink or snack at the bar, kick back, and have a great time. Whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, we welcome you with open arms.

Inside The Arborist:
We have a reservation in their private Function Room. Come through the main entrance, then keep going straight, all the way to the end of the bar.

Deals At the Arborist:
The event starts at 6:00pm, but The Arborist has happy hour with 2 for $20 slushies (frozen cocktails) from 4-6pm. Feel free to order at the bar before 6:00pm to grab this deal.

Finding Our Group:
We will be hanging out in the function room at the very end of the bar. Just go through the sliding door on the ground floor. If you happen to get lost or need someone to meet you outside to show you the way, don't hesitate to message our Facebook page.

The Neurodiversity Paradigm and Neuroqueering

Join Gracie for an insightful Meetup exploring the intersection of neurodiversity and queerness, and how society’s dominant frameworks shape our understanding of both.

Gracie will introduce key ideas from the neurodiversity paradigm and the concept of neuroqueering. She will also discuss how autistiphobia and queerphobia show up in everyday systems, and how reframing these narratives can support healthier self‑understanding.

What This Presentation Is About
This presentation is based on a collation of writings from the wonderful transgender and autistic scholar Nick Walker. She addresses the systemically autistiphobic and anti-queer society that we live in. Walker explains that the predominant social paradigm known as the pathology paradigm actively harms autistic people by framing us as inherently disabled, uncured, and an inferior deviation from neurotypicality. This is the same framework of Western Medicine, which has historically made homosexuality illegal and adopted the precursing term to autism, 'Asperger's', from a Nazi eugenicist named Hans Asperger. Contrary to the pathology paradigm’s pedagogical hostility toward neurodiversity, the neurodiversity paradigm frames autism as a natural, normal and healthy deviation in biology from neurotypicality.

What Is Neuroqueer? (Edited)
Nick Walker coined the term 'neuroqueer' (or neuroqueering) to refer to the conscious experience of both queerness and neurodivergence. The word queer (adj.) can be defined as the radical act of defying heteronormativity and/or cisnormativity through embracing authentic self-embodiment. Neuroqueer, then, is the radical act of defying hetero/cisnormativity and neuronormativity through embracing authentic self-embodiment. While autism is an identity label which unifies us as a neurominority, neuroqueer reflects the nuanced and conscious effort to embrace authenticity amidst and against societal oppression which can be seen as part of a collective.

Who This Talk Is For
This talk is for those who:

*are both queer and autistic and wish to learn more about themselves;

• want to have a different framework for understanding themselves in the context of society;
  *wish to discuss or listen to others experiences;
• want to understand the intersectionality between neurodivergence and queerness;
  *found any of what I described above interesting and you're autistic!

What to Expect
This presentation seeks to be an open space for people to discuss and make sense of the topics at hand in a way that works for them. I will use qualitative and quantitative research to support some of the propositions made, especially around autistiphobia and queerphobia in our society. This talk will likely challenge some of the preconceived notions we have which I understand can be challenging to process (speaking from personal experience). The aim is not to convince you that Nick Walker or myself are right. The aim is to inspire critical thinking with this newfound information so that you can come to your own conclusions.

What This Space Is Not
This is NOT a space for those who seek to debate, or project moral assumptions and/or personal frameworks onto others. Bigotry (i.e. queerphobia) will not be tolerated in any capacity just as autistiphobia will not be tolerated. This is first and foremost a safe space for queer people.

For Non-Queer Autistic Folks
This talk is designed to be accessible for non-queer autistic folk too! While a significant portion of this talk will be dedicated to queer theory, holistically, this talk is about understanding the historic and concurrent oppression of marginalized identities including and primarily autistic and queer people. You will likely find the queer theory availing. This queer theory fully acknowledges the intersectionality of autism. That is to say, if you are autistic then this portion will likely reach you too.