Welcome To Our World

So, what’s with the bears?

Both the pictures and avatar you see on this website are of Kermode bears, which are native to the central and north coast regions of British Columbia. They are also called “spirit bears”. They’re a genetic subspecies of the black bear (Ursus Americanus), with the genetic differentiation that makes them white occurring in 10-20 percent of the species. According to Native American lore, the Kermode bear is said to be able to call to other worlds. I chose the Kermode bear as my personal “spirit animal” because, like the Kermode, I have a genetic differentiation-I have Asperger’s or high-functioning autism if you want to be more politically correct. As someone with autism, I’m part of a population of people with an ability to see connections which people without autism can’t always see and sometimes the worlds I can imagine help to fuel my creativity, and sometimes distract me from the world I need to be in. 1 in 54 people around the world have autism, with the diagnosis rate getting better-a 30 percent increase in the last decade means we’re getting better at diagnosing many of the signs and manifestations of autism.

However, diagnosis doesn’t mean successful strategies are being developed at the same pace as the amount of people diagnosed and it doesn’t mean that the acceptance rate of people with autism is keeping up either. This is another reason I’m drawn to Kermode bears. While they’re so different that they’re obvious in the group, they’re also an accepted part of the group and are equally secure in the group as they are on their own. That’s a symbol of hope for me: I can be who I am, and whether I’m by myself or with others who are like me, a little similar to me, or completely different from me, I’m part of things and part of a group. So explore my world with me, and believe that all bears are welcome here.