‘I Love Ducks Autistically’ is an interactive publication that aims to encourage autistic people to engage with their special interests. I have focused on embracing my own (ducks) through the publication - with a focus on rubber ducks, as this is the object which started the interest.

‘Autistic Special Interests’ are characterised as being very intense, highly focused and specific interests. Many autistic people have these and they are used as a source of enjoyment and way of coping with everyday life (National Autistic Society, 2020). 

These interests tend to be comforting and/or predictable (such as interest around a specific object) which provide a welcome alternative to the unpredictable and overstimulating day to day lives of autistic people.

Engagement with ‘Autistic Special Interests’ are associated with positive well-being in Autistic people. However, autistic people are often discouraged from engaging with these interests due to fears of bullying or other backlash. 

The visual language takes inspiration from 2000s internet graphics, as this is the time the interest began to develop. More specifically, graphics from games aimed at children such as ‘Club Penguin,’ ‘Bin Weevils,’ ‘Moshi Monsters’ and ‘Girls Go Games.’ Many of these games had a social element to them (i.e. through chat boxes) which I found useful as a way to ‘practice’ social skills. I felt this would resonate with other autistic people of a similar age also due to this reason.