Who Made You The Judge
Timothy Boykin (he/him)
“Being on the autism spectrum is pretty interesting. I get to see the world differently. The same way one person can see a painting in one way and another in a different way.” – Timothy Boykin
Timothy received his diagnosis at the age of four. In fourth grade, he started questioning why he had to attend special classes, focused on communication difficulties, reading, pronunciation, and socialization skills. Timothy couldn’t understand why he got singled out and bullied or why other children called him the “R” word. After a conversation where his mom explained his diagnosis and autism spectrum disorder, Timothy felt terrible about himself. Timothy’s mother suggested he write a book to help overcome these feelings and shine a positive light on autism. This book, called “Timster’s World: So What Makes You So
Special?,” focuses on three chapters of Timothy’s life. 1. How he focused and worked hard to get better grades. 2. Learning to stand up to bullies and speak up for what he believes in. 3. His journey to understanding his diagnosis and who he truly is.
At the time of diagnosis, the doctors told Timothy’s mother that Timothy would never graduate college or be as successful as a neurotypical. At a young age, Timothy’s mother helped him understand that boundaries set by others and society are there for him to overcome. And that everyone, no matter their circumstance, faces trials and tribulations throughout life. With hard work, determination, and the love and support of his family, Timothy graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre. As an adult, Timothy embraces and celebrates his differences. He sees the beauty of his autism. He focuses on pursuing his talents and passion.
Today, Timothy is a published author, actor, singer/songwriter, college graduate, social media influencer, and autism advocate with over 92,000 followers on TikTok. He uses this platform to promote autism acceptance and bring attention to racial inequality. He hopes to inspire change and build a community.
Neurodivergent people hold privilege, just as white people do. It is essential to understand the intersectionality between ableism and racism and listen to BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of colour) autistic voices. These marginalized groups get misdiagnosed more often, are underrepresented, and are more likely to experience problems throughout life. The combined stressors of being BIPOC and autistic can negatively impact a person’s mental health because anxiety disorders are more prevalent among autistic people. It severely increases the likelihood of hate crimes, abuse, and repeated trauma. Additionally, individuals on the spectrum are more likely to be approached by law enforcement, and the odds are even greater if you are a person of colour. Timothy has bravely created and shared educational content on TikTok to help others learn how to deal with this particular challenge.
Timothy is a talented young man who enjoys playing video games, watching movies, writing, singing, and creating content for social media. He loves comic books, superheroes, and action figures. Timothy wants to continue expanding his social media presence and hopes to become the first black, autistic person to play an autistic role on mainstream TV. As for his future, he would like to further develop musically, collaborate with others, expand his recordings and find the perfect time to release an album.
“For everyone on the spectrum, I don’t care who you love, what ethnicity you are; I want you to keep believing in yourself.” - Timothy Boykin