The Autistic Realm Australia, along with our Admins and Moderators acknowledges the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We also acknowledge Australia’s First Nations people, the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live. We pay respects to their Elders past and present and recognise the layers of complexity and deep feelings involved in the death of a British monarch.
Most of us have known no other British monarch than Queen Elizabeth II, and though we are far away from the United Kingdom, she has been a constant fixture of our political landscape for the last seventy years. She has been a symbol of consistency, stability, and hope throughout her reign, through war, political turbulence, rain, hail, and shine.
For some Australians, today will be an ordinary Friday, and for others it will be a time of mourning. Some of us will wonder why people are spending so much time talking about a lady who lived on the other side of the world, whom most of us never met. Some of us will feel very personally affected and emotional about the loss of such an influential person. Some people may be feeling relief or joy about the end of an era that many feel contributed to and perpetuated the pain and suffering of colonialism. It is a very significant event to bear witness to, regardless of our personal feelings about it.
It is important to acknowledge that grief is a strange and complicated experience, and is especially so for someone you did not personally know. Grief is also a natural and normal response to sad events, including the passing of significant people. Grief can be discombobulating, destabilising, all encompassing. Grief can be quiet and private. Grief can be loud, guttural, and celebratory. Grief is an experience that is unique to each individual and the circumstances they find themselves in when they experience these feelings. Grief can also be complicated, encapsulating many feelings, some of which feel contradictory. It is possible to hold all these feelings at once and acknowledge each of them and why we are feeling them.
There will likely be extensive news coverage in the days and weeks ahead, and it is important that we each take the time we need to process and respond to this event, whatever it means to us. Self-care can be a very helpful tool to help us process grief and other emotions, and it is especially important for Autistic people to utilise self-care methods due to many of us experiencing hyper-empathy. So, however much this event impacts you, try to take the time you need to look after yourself. To check in with you and touch base with your emotions and feelings. And if you are feeling emotional about the loss of the Queen, we will leave you with her words, that “Grief is the price we pay for love.”
Vale Queen Elizabeth II
