Kel (they/them) is in their late 20’s and didn’t learn of their autism until their second year of college. This helped them get the tools they needed to graduate on time but also gave them a sense of community. A lot of their early life was given more context. Now, they work as a self-advocate, helping other people just like them. They like to play video games, board games, write, draw, act, and cosplay in their spare time. They also are fond of their family pets; four dogs and a cat.
View all postsMy Camp Experience
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It can be hard growing up as a girl, and it’s no wonder that it’s well-documented. I feel weird thinking back on the gendered-ness of activities and problems I faced. There are some things I’m thankful for, though, and one of them is Club/Camp Ophelia.
Club and Camp Ophelia were developed to help middle and high school girls learn about the specific types of bullying girls face, how to spot its occurrence, and help stop it while comforting others it has happened to. It is named after Ophelia, the character in Hamlet, who is hurt by the multiple male influences in her life until she drowns. It’s a reminder of what can happen if girls don’t look out for and help one another.
The club at my school happened after classes, in the library, or in a spare classroom. We’d discuss bullying and other female-oriented topics, like body image in the media, eating disorders, and mental health. While all these things can affect anyone, it is important to remember that during the 2000-2010s, these were less talked about, especially their effects on girls and women. Having a safe space to talk about it was so helpful in making good choices and caring for myself. We also did various crafts, kept journals, and even wrote and performed a few scripts.
Camp amplified the number of girls and the scale of activities. You basically stayed the whole day and did different crafts and games while preparing for a performance that was held at the end of the week. You had a mentor look over a small group of girls who would lead activities, look at your journal entries, and comment on them. I always got super attached to my mentor, which I look back and cringe a little at. I think I was just seeking their approval, and receiving their kindness and positivity really helped me feel better about myself and the issues I was facing.
I still have a lot of keepsakes from both club and camp, mostly due to my never going through my things and getting rid of unnecessary objects. Sometimes I look back on them and smile, especially anything I helped to write or did myself. We also took pictures with our groups and mentors, and decorated frames to put them in. I have a couple of boxes of compliments from back then, too, and going through them never fails to put a smile on my face. They’re all very cheesy and forced (it was hard to find unique compliments to give people, especially if you don’t know them well), but the earnest nature is part of the charm.
Kel
