Lockdown was a creatively challenging time , and I needed an escape .
AfA : Do you envision writing another book , perhaps a follow-up to The Autism Friendly Cookbook ?
Lydia : Yes . I would like to , but I don ' t think I will ever write about anything autistic related ! The amount of vitriol from autistic individuals — and I am one of them ! — was so interesting . It ' s not a book for everyone as autism is a spectrum . I ' ve never claimed to speak for all . I ' m a journalist first . I am not an advocate or activist or anything else . I am working on finding myself an agent to represent me right now , but I have an idea for a memoir manifesto type thing . I ' d like to do something like For Queen and Currency or even Mad Honey . But never again on cooking ! Unless you can tempt me . Wink wink .
AfA : How representative is the media industry of people with disabilities ? What more needs to be done ? As a journalist , how has this affected you ?
Lydia : In a word , no , the media industry is not representative of people with disabilities . It never has been . This is a huge issue , and it impacts every single one of us as the media is something of a cultural wallpaper regardless of the rise of things such as TikTok . We still talk about outrageous headlines , for example . I think we need to be more honest to start with . I recently wrote for The Unwritten about how disabled journalists have yet to have their # MeToo moment . Why ? That is a barrier to us . And disabled women are more at risk ! I think editors need to be far more aware and proactive . I am sick of the expectation that someone like me will just be a free educational resource , and yet newsrooms don ' t bother , they dismiss and / or invalidate . Ultimately , we need to create space .
AfA : How do you envision the relationship between publishing and people with disabilities in the future ?
Lydia : As an autistic person , I find it almost impossible to envision a future . But independent media is doing a lot for us here in the U . K . There is power in community . Emma Gannon has written about how the social media game rules are changing . There ' s a real want for community . Maybe that ' s the future of news ; we can and will do this for ourselves . I ' m nervous on that as truth matters , but disabled writers and editors at the helm is just so exciting . I want to see more of this world before I depart for the next . I want the post pandemic world to be kinder and to be more curious and open .
AfA : In your work as a journalist , author and speaker , what significant moments or achievements stand out for you ? Why ?
Lydia : Back when I graduated , I was covering thalidomide . As far as I know , I was the only truly independent journalist to go to Germany and visit the headquarters of the manufacturer of that drug , which caused a disaster on a colossal , global scale . I am proud I went all the way to Germany solo . Travel is difficult for me as a disabled individual . I ' ll never forget it .
Interviewing Alan Rusbridger , former editor of The Guardian , the same year was great — my childhood self wouldn ' t believe that one . I also covered the publication of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel . He was the subject of the podcast , Untold . I got an exclusive on that and did some data work for a newspaper in the aftermath . That story has had a life of its own and seems to be causing quite a fuss right now !
AfA : What advice would you give to other inspiring writers living with disabilities ?
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