2273“My mother has said this to me several times throughout my life. My brother’s autistic, and I’m the older sister,” Mary says in her audio commentary.

”When my mum first said this to me I was shocked, I thought it was very harsh, and I also thought she would rather her daughter would take her son’s place, as the one who’s got the disability, rather than celebrating that her daughter is doing well.

”This has always stayed with me, because I feel bad for my brother but I also kind of feel bad for myself too. I’ve come to the realisation as the years go on that my mum saw that my brother, because he is male and she was raised in an Asian, male dominated society, she felt like he won’t have many opportunities that a man would have.

”She’s always really scared that he’s never going to be able to have a family, or have kids, or be able to provide for his family, or attract a wife. She felt that if it were a girl that had autism, that a girl would still go and find a man and still have children and still be ok and taken care of in society. I think it’s very old-fashioned, but I think it’s got a true aspect.

"I think my mum is right, because she’s looking into my brother’s future, and she’s scared for him.”

Taken at the Australian pub in Sydney, Australia on the SOTM World Tour.