Changing The Narrative: Educating Teens About Consent and Gender Equality, and Creating Positive Representations of Women and Autism in Literature. An Interview with Author, Sue Bordley.

Mind Vox

Sue Bordley is an Author, Teacher and mother to two teenage sons.

She’s Autistic, which was discovered when her children were formally diagnosed with Autism. Sue’s self-diagnosed, and has some experience of the stigma surrounding self-diagnosis.

Sue’s taught English at secondary school for 26 years, whilst also writing novels for adults and teenagers.

Her latest book, Sweet Like Candy, features an Autistic family based on her own experience of family life.

Sue uses the pen name Jess Molyneux for some books, including XY, Z, which aims to educate teenagers about sex and consent. It also includes the message that women should be treated as equals in relationships.

Surrounded by ‘chick lit’ where women are often depicted as stereotypical shopping-obsessed, wine-loving and looking for a man to depend on, Sue wanted to change the narrative.

Sue chooses to empower women and girls through positive representation in literature, so female characters in her books are strong, sharp, funny and self-sufficient.

Sue’s come onto Mind Vox to discuss parenting neurodivergent children, her self-diagnosis journey and how she’s empowering women and educating teenagers about equality, consent and sex using books.

This episode explores:

-Sue’s journey to becoming an author for both teenagers and adults.

-Why Sue felt the need to educate teenagers about consent and gender equality within relationships by writing teenage fiction.

-Advice for how parents can use books like XY, Z to educate their children about sex, consent and relationships.

-Sue’s feelings around how women are represented within ‘chick-lit’ fiction and how she’s trying to encourage more positive representation of women in her work.

-Her experience of Autistic late self-diagnosis and reflections of being undiagnosed for so long.

-Sue’s experiences of parenting her (diagnosed) Autistic children, who also have Dyspraxia.

-How she’s been inspired by her own family to create an Autistic family in her latest book.

*Trigger Warning*

Contains conversation about Autism, ADHD, Sexual Consent, Gender Equality, Contraception, STIs, Andrew Tate, Peer Pressure, Sexuality and Dyspraxia.

Links

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Your host, Claire, can be found on Instagram, TikTok and via her website Single Parent Pessimist.

Music by Lesfm from Pixabay.

Sue’s books for teenagers can be found here: XY, Z and SE6.

Sue’s adult books can be found here: Sweet Like Candy and Rescue Me.

Sue can be found on Instagram and TikTok.

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