Sept 2022 – Jody O’Neill – being diagnosed with autism

Being diagnosed with autism

Jody O’Neill, actor and playwright talked about her experience of being diagnosed with autism at the age of 39.

Jody O’Neill

Jody is an award-winning autistic writer and performer, based in Dublin. Her play “What I (Don’t) Know About Autism” was co-produced with the Abbey Theatre and played to critical acclaim and sold-out houses in 2020 and 2021. Jody’s work has a strong focus on disability advocacy and social inclusion. She is currently Theatre Artist in Residence at UCC and Cork Opera House, and is a 2022 recipient of the Markievicz Award.

Jody’s young son was diagnosed with autism three years before her. Their personalities were so similar, Jody decided to seek out an assessment for herself. Being diagnosed was a positive experience, she said. Many of the challenges she had in her life could be re-framed through the lens of autism. It made her realise she was working on a different operating system to other people.

Disability advocacy

Negative sentiments about autism in the media led her to write the play, “What I (Don’t) Know about Autism.” It was structured so autistic people could come to see it, with breaks for questions built into the script. Disability advocacy and inclusion have become major themes in Jody’s work. Presently, she’s writing a piece of educational theatre about an autistic girl who likes double numbers and routines.

Jody doesn’t want her son growing up in a world where autism is seen as a negative. “I wish we would talk more about human needs, rather than special needs,” she said.

For more information visit autism.ie