“They also have strengths, interests and drives that can benefit society, if they are included instead of being forced to assimilate into the majority’s way of behaving.”
Salie graduated as an electrical engineer at the University of Cape Town in 1993 and worked for various companies in South Africa and Europe, consulting until 2013.
He was diagnosed with degenerative cervical disc disease in 2013 and was officially disabled in Switzerland.
He lived in Switzerland before returning to Cape Town in 2016.
Salie penned his book because he needed to find out what he did to keep motivating himself as a child when nobody knew he was autistic and he “felt on the outside”.
“I wanted to apply it to my present adult life that was facing many compounded anxieties due to various crises and, of course not knowing I was autistic, over many years added to this crisis. I found writing was a good way to stop my circulating thoughts.”
He couldn’t find a psychologist specialising in autistic adults who could guide him, so he had to dig deep to “help myself like I always did”.
“A secondary reason was to have a record for my children who grew up in Europe, so they could understand what their father’s life was like growing up. Two of my daughters, one diagnosed, are also on the autistic spectrum,” Salie said.
His message to the autistic community is inspired by his mother.
“My mom told me: 'As long as you are not committing any crime, try to achieve good results academically, work hard in your job and continue to help people in your way, then why should I force you to behave like all the others in social interactions? So just be you.'”
“Salie’s novel has been well received by readers as an engrossing and insightful piece of work. It significantly offers a glimpse into the thoughts and actions of an autistic person, which helps readers relate to this complex condition. Autistics will be inspired by Salie’s resilience and will to succeed against all odds,” said Action in Autism.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Cape Town author shares his story of struggle living with autism
Image: supplied
Mogamad Salie has a powerful story to tell — one that will resonate with thousands of South Africans.
In his memoir, Chicken Legs: A Loner’s Way, Salie paints a portrait of his life as an autistic person living in Cape Town during the 1970s and 1980s.
Before his talk at Action for Autism in Durban North on June 3, Salie said he is still an outsider wherever he goes because fitting into the “human world” remains a challenge.
“I never felt accepted or understood. When it came to understanding things such as technology and nature, this was always easier,” he told TimesLIVE.
He explained society still viewed the autistic community as “abnormal”.
“Be aware that autistic people are different, not bad or broken, and are not antisocial or rude when they do not follow social norms and cultures. There are various logical reasons they might be struggling with that makes it complicated for them to interact like most of the non-autistic population.
“They also have strengths, interests and drives that can benefit society, if they are included instead of being forced to assimilate into the majority’s way of behaving.”
Salie graduated as an electrical engineer at the University of Cape Town in 1993 and worked for various companies in South Africa and Europe, consulting until 2013.
He was diagnosed with degenerative cervical disc disease in 2013 and was officially disabled in Switzerland.
He lived in Switzerland before returning to Cape Town in 2016.
Salie penned his book because he needed to find out what he did to keep motivating himself as a child when nobody knew he was autistic and he “felt on the outside”.
“I wanted to apply it to my present adult life that was facing many compounded anxieties due to various crises and, of course not knowing I was autistic, over many years added to this crisis. I found writing was a good way to stop my circulating thoughts.”
He couldn’t find a psychologist specialising in autistic adults who could guide him, so he had to dig deep to “help myself like I always did”.
“A secondary reason was to have a record for my children who grew up in Europe, so they could understand what their father’s life was like growing up. Two of my daughters, one diagnosed, are also on the autistic spectrum,” Salie said.
His message to the autistic community is inspired by his mother.
“My mom told me: 'As long as you are not committing any crime, try to achieve good results academically, work hard in your job and continue to help people in your way, then why should I force you to behave like all the others in social interactions? So just be you.'”
“Salie’s novel has been well received by readers as an engrossing and insightful piece of work. It significantly offers a glimpse into the thoughts and actions of an autistic person, which helps readers relate to this complex condition. Autistics will be inspired by Salie’s resilience and will to succeed against all odds,” said Action in Autism.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
Elon Musk's Neuralink says has FDA approval for study of brain implants in humans
Nandi Madida on raising children living with ADHD and autism
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos