Membership
Who are AWG members?
"Membership" is a loose term meaning that we affiliate ourselves with AWG in some way. Attending meetings, reading or subscribing to AWG Shares Magazine, receiving meeting reminder emails, or simply being aware of AWG and identifying with it are all examples of how members participate.
For most of us, the ability to able to show up at a meeting, read an online magazine, or even think about AWG at all varies from day to day. That's why we believe that membership should not depend on performing a specific activity on a specific day in a specific way. We all take part in the way that is most sustainable for us, as we are today.
There is no registry of members. You may, but never have to, share your diagnosis status or gender identity. All members are full members.
We are...
Late-identified and questioning.
Late-identified means we can remember a time "before" and "after" we learned we are autistic. Clinical diagnosis and self-diagnosis carry the same weight in AWG.
Questioning means we are exploring whether we might be autistic. Membership does not depend on others' opinions about whether or not we are autistic.
For those of us who choose to undergo clinical evaluation, receiving a "no" has no effect on eligibility for membership. We can be members before, during, or after an evaluation, regardless of the evaluator's opinion.
Women-identifying.
All other members of marginalized genders.