I don't know who I'd be or what our community would look like without Mel. I'm just at a loss for words today. https://twitter.com/myceliorum/status/1249144979227901952

Mel was uncompromising at a time when moral compromise was the rule rather than the exception in the autism world.

Sie insisted that the neurodiversity movement include all Autistic people and is a big part of the reason it does. And sie did that without ever being mean.

Mel also was the subject of absolutely horrific harassment and abuse from people who hated hir message, and subjected hir to atrocious vitriol for it.

I always admired hir ability to keep up hir work despite that. Sie was a source of both wisdom and courage.