Someone Like Me: Launching an Anthology of Non-Fiction by Autistic Writers

In Someone Like Me, editors Clem Bastow and Jo Case showcase the wide-ranging experiences of Autistic gender-diverse and women writers - and explode long-held stereotypes.

When it comes to Autistic representation, BIPOC and white gender minorities have existed on the fringes of mainstream media for too long, rarely seeing representations of their unique experiences, hardships and triumphs.

Join us for the launch, featuring local writers and contributors Julie Farrell and Fergus Murray, hosted by Elspeth Wilson!

Delving into topics like sex, living room dance parties, the natural world, eating disorders, religion and all-encompassing passions, Someone Like Me brings together an eclectic mix of forms and voices that expand the cultural definition of the Autistic experience.

Featuring contributions from authors from Australia and beyond - including Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb, and Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times - this groundbreaking anthology invites Autistic people of all kinds to find company in these pages, and maybe even see themselves too.

Our Speakers:

JULIE FARRELL (she/her) is an award-winning writer and activist, living by the sea just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is co-founder of The Inklusion Guide: a guide to making literature events accessible to disabled people. Her work on making the world a more inclusive place to all has seen her listed as one of The Bookseller’s Top 150 Most Influential People in Publishing. Julie’s work explores the process of grief, loss and nostalgia in relation to family, identity and the planet. Julie serves as a trustee of Mslexia Magazine and on the Advisory Group for the new UK arts access scheme for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, All In.

FERGUS MURRAY (they/them) is a writer, science tutor and autistic community organiser based in Edinburgh, Scotland. They have been involved in several autism research projects and co-authored a number of papers, as well as contributing chapters to several academic books, but deny being a real autism researcher. Fergus was a co-founder of AMASE (Autistic Mutual Aid Society Edinburgh) in 2017, and was its Chair from 2021–2025; they also served on the board of Autscape, an autistic conference/retreat, for a few years. Their writing has been published in the Psychologist and Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, among other places. They run monotropism.org and weirdpride.day.

This event will include 40minutes of discussion and 20 minutes of audience questions, as with all indoor events at Lighthouse masks must be worn during the event unless medically exempt.