Discrimination surrounding autism has led a local musician to vent his frustrations through his music.

Singer songwriter Callum Brew released his latest song ’Kicking Autism’ last week and performed it live at an event in Douglas.

Callum, 21, who is currently studying a diploma in music production and sound production at the University College Isle of Man, wrote the song to give a voice to his frustrations as to what he sees is the unjust and discriminatory treatment given to people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Callum himself was diagnosed with Asperger’s when he was 11 years old and he said that he was moved to write the song after years of feeling that autistic people were treated differently by society in general.

’"Kicking Autism" is essentially about the connection with the community and how autistic people are being unfairly treated by people who just don’t understand autism and don’t even consider autism as a disability

’There is definitely something that I feel that normal people are not "getting" about autism, and I think we can be treated quite badly because of it.

’As an autistic person myself, we may look the same and talk the same, but at the same time we have this condition which affects us in daily life.

’One of the things that I am trying to say is that it is a disability and there are charities all around the UK that have been set up to help autism so that people like me can just live their lives as normal.’

The song contains a defiant message about self belief and reliance in your own strengths in the face of perceived negative treatment, which Callum says he uses to push himself further as a musician and a songwriter.

’There shouldn’t be a difference between a normal person and an autistic person when it comes to things like creativity,’ he said.

’The chorus says "Kick us down and we’ll stand back up", and also says that if you knock us down with words, we will become stronger than you.

’I want that to send a message that we, as an autistic community, are just as normal as you and why don’t you try to support us instead?’

Callum has been an active member of the island’s live music scene for many years and has performed regularly at open mic nights and concerts, most recently sharing some of his songs during the ’Music 4 Motiv8’ online charity concert.

He played his new song at a concert organised with fellow music students at the British Hotel on Monday night and will next be performing at the fund-raising Guitarathon at the Railway, Douglas, on Saturday, February 27.

’One of the things I like about being a musician who performs live and sings my songs is that it lets me prove that ,just because I have this condition I am just the same as anybody else.

’In fact, in some aspects, it drives me more to get out and perform.’

Callum’s song ’Kicking Autism’ can be heard through soundcloud.com

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers