Madeline Ryan

Madeleine Ryan is an Australian writer, filmmaker, and third-generation journalist. Her articles and essays have been published in The Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, Vice, Bustle, Lenny Letter, and The New York Times. In 2020, Madeleine published an open letter in The New York Times addressed to the parents of autistic children. In it, she emphasized the importance of a tender and gentle approach to the heightened sensitivity of such children and the sometimes uncontrollable emotions they display. Valuing their uniqueness and protecting them from the attacks of others are the primary responsibilities of their mothers and fathers. Children with autism are perfect because they express themselves honestly, without fear of social consequences. Madeleine knows firsthand how cruel people can sometimes be: she is autistic herself, which she openly states. For many years, the writer attended therapy sessions, working through misdiagnoses and trying to understand what was wrong with her. She operated on the mistaken assumption that her behavioral traits and reactions were connected to some illness or disorder before she was able to accept her own uniqueness. A Room Called Earth is Madeleine’s debut novel. She is currently working on the screenplay for a film adaptation of the book. polyandria