Wednesday 11 May 2022

Strong Autistic Female Empowered. An interview With Molly Price, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and competitor

This weeks blog interview features Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and competitor from the USA    Molly Price.

Fighting For Autism strives to bring positive stories from around the globe, and highlight inspiring role models from within the autistic community and beyond in hope that we can make the world a more aware, accepting and inclusive place to be.

Fighting For Autism's S.A.F.E (Strong Autistic Female Empowered) Initiative aims to highlight positive female role models from within the autistic community, whose inspiring stories we hope will have the potential of being the catalyst that catapults autistic females onto the path of creating positive stories of their very own, one thing is for sure we cannot do it on our own, hence why its so important for amazing people like Molly to step forward and share their experiences.


Molly pictured in white competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

1. What prompted you to explore Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and have you trained in any other martial art or sport.

"I was sexually assaulted  in the Army & thought this would be a good way to help me cope with my fear of men. Before walking into the gym I haven't left the house in 2 years except to go get groceries or go to the Veterans Affairs office , actually. It worked! I'm not scared of them anymore".

Molly proudly showing some of the medals and awards she has won whilst competing 

2. What Autism myths would you like to dispel?

"That men are the only ones that have Autism. Women can have Autism & are commonly misdiagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) or something else.

The myth that vaccines cause autism

That you can "overcome" it & be normal. I don't want to be neurotypical.

Just because someone is autistic doesn't mean they're going to have "all these symptoms". It could be as simple as a few major things. It could be a bunch of small things. No 2 autistic people have the same support needs".

3.How often do you train, and what would a typical days training schedule consist of ?

"As with most autistic people, my schedule is very very strict.

1 Hour studying previous days notes

1-hour focused BJJ in the morning

1-hour watching an instructional related to the AM class

lunch class then drilling(usually 1 hour on top of the lunch class)

3-hour nap

I play Elden ring for a little bit to clear my head. Usually about an hour

Back to the instructional from the AM class to go back over it along with my ankicards/flashcards refresher for this month's moves

Afternoon class. This is usually 5PM-7/8PM.

Log all my training for the day. Go over any rolling  footage I have. Study one last time what I did throughout the day

I train like this 5x a week usually and on Saturdays is Open Mat. We have Sunday Open Mat here too! At Akagi BJJ. It's a very nice gym & the owner is very very nice. I like it here because they're very understanding & they make sure I feel safe & comfortable. It's the best!

4.What accomplishment to date are you proudest of ?

"Getting my Blue Belt in 8 months with 1 month off due to an injury".


Molly proudly showing her achievement of gaining a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

5. What does Autism mean to you ?

"Studies show my brain processes sensory input(what we see, hear, feel, etc) 400% faster than an allistic person. What does that mean? If I can overcome the problems that come with Autism, I have a massive advantage on the mats.

It also means I have to do my best to be aware of how allistic people will take what I say. Autistic people tend to say what we mean directly. I can get frustrated when I ask a simple yes/no question & get a very long-winded answer".

6.What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of taking up a martial art, boxing or joining a gym?

"Make sure your gym is very aware of how it affects your life. Be more blunt than usual. Be upfront. You have to be careful because not every gym is going to be safe. Sometimes if I get a bad crossface (technique), I'll need to take 15-20 minutes to gather myself because it can be very overstimulating. Because of this I always make a gym aware I have Autism before visiting. I've done things to minimize the conversation & to make it known, but it's important they always know! I have had one gym,  straight up tell me on Instagram to not come because they didn't want to "deal with the problems I'd be bringing".

It's crucial you find a gym that can accommodate. What does that mean? Your coach needs to understand that you may need to take breaks, at any time, for what may appear to be no reason at all. They need to know that you may get emotional if you're doing striking. That you likely aren't very social. I didn't know this, but it seems most people do BJJ for the social aspect. Go figure!  So yeah! Just make sure they're aware of everything.



Fighting For Autism would like to say a massive Thank you to Molly Price for taking part in this weeks blog, her answers could pave the way to someone becoming more aware or accepting as a person right through to inspiring someone to start the adventure of trying something new, making new friends, learning new skills and developing confidence. 

#DareToBeDifferent  #ShiningThroughTheSpectrum  #FightingForAutism  #AutismAwarenessAndAcceptance #BrazilianJiuJitsu


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