“What If My Body Is a Beacon for the World?”: Autistic Non-speaking Languaging, Movement and S/Pacetime

Abstract This paper explores the unique perceptual experiences and expressive capabilities of non-speaking autistic individuals, particularly through the lens of Adam Wolfond’s poetic and artistic works. Together, we delve into the concept of “the open”, a multifaceted term used by Wolfond to describe the expansive and often overwhelming sensory experiences of autistic perception. The paper challenges the pathologized view of autism by highlighting the richness and depth of autistic perception which foregrounds details and fosters a unique form of relational and artistic expression that attunes to paces of patterns. Through a combination of poetic excerpts, theoretical insights and personal narratives, we advocate for a reimagining of inclusion and support for neurodiverse individuals, emphasizing the importance of attuning to the additive, undulating, and liquid expressions that characterize Wolfond’s experiences. This work ultimately calls for a shift away from normative expectations and conceptions of spacetime towards a more permeable, relational understanding of neurodiversity.