{{Short description|Canadian autism activist (born 2000)}} {{use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Paige Layle | image = | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | other_names = | birth_name = Paige Hennekam | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|8|2}} | birth_place = Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | occupation = {{hlist|Activist|author}} | years_active = 2015–present | website = {{URL|https://paigelayle.ca}} }}
'''Paige Hennekam''' (born August 2, 2000),{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} better known as '''Paige Layle''', is a Canadian ADHD and autism acceptance activist and author. They{{efn|Layle uses they/them and she/her pronouns.<ref name=pronouns>{{cite web|last=@paigelayle|title=paigelayle|url=https://www.instagram.com/paigelayle/|access-date=2025-02-06|website=Instagram}}</ref> This article uses they/them for consistency.|name=pronouns|group=lower-alpha}} are known for discussing their experiences with ADHD and autism on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube since 2020. Their first book, ''But Everyone Feels This Way: How an Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life'', was released in 2024.
==Early life== Layle was born Paige Hennekam in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario on August 2, 2000,{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}} to Tracy (née Layle) and John Hennekam.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="john-arthur-hennekam-obituary">{{cite web | url=https://lindsayadvocate.ca/obituaries/john-arthur-hennekam/ | title=Obituary For John Arthur Hennekam | website=The Lindsay Advocate | access-date=November 19, 2025}}</ref> They attempted suicide at the age of 15, after which they were diagnosed with autism,<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mui|first=Christine|date=August 5, 2020|title=Where Are The Autistic Women in the Media?|url=https://harvardpolitics.com/autistic-female-representation/|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Harvard Political Review|language=en-US}}</ref> OCD,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Perry|first=Tod|date=March 11, 2020|title=Teenager creates eye-opening videos that shatter stereotypes surrounding autism and girls|url=https://www.upworthy.com/teenage-tiktoker-creates-eye-opening-videos-that-shatter-the-stereotypes-surrounding-autism-in-girls|access-date=June 27, 2020|website=Upworthy|language=en}}</ref> and ADHD.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{cite web|last=@paigelayle|date=2020-12-02|title=paige? a trend and not an autism video? ya idk! #fyp #HomeCooked #BackOnTrack|url=https://www.tiktok.com/@paigelayle/video/6901751753641889026?lang=en|website=TikTok}}</ref>
==Career== Layle started making TikTok videos about autism in March 2020,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last1=Favaro|first1=Avis|last2=Neustaeter|first2=Brooklyn|last3=St. Phillip|first3=Elizabeth|date=June 25, 2020|title=Canadian teen shatters autism stereotypes with candid videos on TikTok|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/canadian-teen-shatters-autism-stereotypes-with-candid-videos-on-tiktok/|access-date=June 27, 2020|website=CTV News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Tucker|first=Olivia|date=January 20, 2021|title=TikTok Creators Like Paige Layle Are Redefining Narratives About Autism|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/tiktok-creators-paige-layle-autism|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Teen Vogue|language=en-us}}</ref> after hearing an audio clip on TikTok that mocked autistic people.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bode|first=Lucy|title=This Woman Is Using TikTok To Educate Her Followers About Living With Autism|url=https://www.womenshealth.com.au/tiktok-autism-awareness|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=June 27, 2020|website=Women's Health|language=en-us}}</ref> They created a four-part video series on autism in girls to address common misconceptions about the disorder.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Emanuel|first=Daniella|date=March 10, 2020|title=A Girl On TikTok With Autism Is Going Viral For Talking About How Autism Is Different In Women|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/daniellaemanuel/girl-tiktok-autism|access-date=June 27, 2020|website=BuzzFeed|language=en}}</ref> In 2020 and 2021, they joined other members of the autism community in weighing in on the controversy surrounding Sia's film ''Music''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Moore|first=Andria|date=November 24, 2020|title=Paige Layle, An Autistic TikToker, Weighed In On The Sia/Maddie Ziegler Movie Drama|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/andriamoore/a-popular-tiktoker-with-asd-responds-to-the-siama-8zfucql3xb|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=BuzzFeed|language=en}}</ref>
In 2021, Layle and other autism advocates{{who|date=July 2024}}<!--who else?--> such as Chloé Hayden<!--<ref>{{cite web |title=Petition · Autistic People Have the Right to Exist. Stop the Eugenics Fundraiser. - Australia · Change.org |url=https://change.org/p/autistic-people-have-the-right-to-exist-stop-the-eugenics-fundraiser |website=change.org |access-date=13 July 2024 |quote=Started by Chloé Hayden}}</ref>--> criticized ''Color the Spectrum: A Livestream to Support the Autism Community'', a fundraiser launched by Mark Rober in support of NEXT for AUTISM. They critiqued NEXT for funding Autism Speaks, an organization that has received backlash for its attempts to "cure" autism. To counter ''Color the Spectrum'', Layle and other advocates{{who|date=July 2024}} planned to host a fundraising livestream on the same date and time to raise money for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Holcomb|first=Rebecca|date=April 24, 2021|title=TikTok Star Page Layle Plans Livestream Fundraiser For ASAN To Protest Jimmy Kimmel's NEXT For Autism Fundraiser|url=https://www.thethings.com/tiktok-star-page-layle-plans-livestream-fundraiser-for-asan-to-protest-jimmy-kimmels-next-for-autism-fundraiser/|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=TheThings|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Turner-Cohen|first=Alex|date=April 25, 2021|title=Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Sandler among celebs slammed for supporting autism fundraiser|url=https://7news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/celeb-support-for-curing-autism-fundraiser-slammed-as-ableist-c-2687602|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=7NEWS.com.au|language=en}}</ref> The livestream was later cancelled due to allegations that ASAN had plagiarized work from Indigenous creator Autistic, Typing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Beck Spectrum|date=April 26, 2021|title=Accountability.|url=https://www.instagram.com/tv/COJX365nvwp/|website=Instagram}}</ref>
In 2022, Layle was a performer for the audiobook version of Wendy Walker's ''American Girl'', produced by Audible.<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=January 11, 2022|title=The top 10 audiobooks on Audible.com|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/top-10-audiobooks-audible-82208236|access-date=February 7, 2022|website=ABC News|language=en}}</ref>
Layle's first book, ''But Everyone Feels This Way: How an Autism Diagnosis Saved My Life'', was released in March 2024.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Singh |first=Manvir |date=2024-05-06 |title=Why We're Turning Psychiatric Labels Into Identities |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/13/why-were-turning-psychiatric-labels-into-identities |access-date=2024-05-28 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref>
As of February 2025, Layle has 2.7 million TikTok followers,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pham|first=Elyse|date=September 26, 2020|title='What does autism look like?' 20-year-old confronts stereotypes on TikTok|url=https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/what-does-autism-look-like-paige-layle-confronts-stereotypes-on-tiktok-c-1345708|access-date=September 29, 2020|website=7NEWS.com.au|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Josie |date=2021-09-17 |title=Normal feelings, or ADHD, ASD or PTSD? Social media is here to diagnose you |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/internet/17-09-2021/normal-feelings-or-adhd-asd-or-ptsd-social-media-is-here-to-diagnose-you |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=The Spinoff |language=en}}</ref> 173,000 Instagram followers,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Dillon|date=March 13, 2020|title=19-year-old's inspiring TikToks break down autism stereotypes|url=https://www.intheknow.com/2020/03/13/19-year-olds-inspiring-tiktoks-break-down-autism-stereotypes/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611131734/https://www.intheknow.com/2020/03/13/19-year-olds-inspiring-tiktoks-break-down-autism-stereotypes/|archive-date=June 11, 2020|access-date=June 27, 2020|website=In The Know|language=en-US}}</ref> and 183,000 YouTube subscribers.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/@realpaigelayle | title=Paige layle - YouTube | website=YouTube }}</ref>
== Personal life == Layle uses they/them and she/her pronouns,<ref name=pronouns/> and came out as a lesbian on February 6, 2025, after previously labeling themself as pansexual.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eulrnP7yn4E |title=the coming out video |date=2025-02-06 |last=paige layle |access-date=2025-02-07 |via=YouTube}}</ref> As of 2024, they reside in their hometown of Kawartha Lakes and work part-time as a dance teacher.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandison |first=Ron |date=2024-04-23 |title=Paige Layle Shares Her Journey To Diagnosis: Living Authentic Autistic Life |url=https://the-art-of-autism.com/paige-layle-shares-her-journey-to-diagnosis-living-authentic-autistic-life/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=The Art of Autism |language=en-US}}</ref>
In a 2025 video, Layle revealed that they had gone no contact with their parents in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | title=I Went No Contact with My Parents 2 Years Ago | website=YouTube | date=February 26, 2025 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9GqaYLePg&rco=1}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == <references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Layle, Paige}} Category:Beauticians Category:Canadian TikTokers Category:Canadian pansexual people Category:People from Kawartha Lakes Category:Autistic writers Category:Autistic LGBTQ people Category:Canadian autistic people Category:People with obsessive–compulsive disorder Category:Autism activists Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Pansexual women Category:LGBTQ TikTokers Category:Living people Category:2000 births Category:YouTube channels launched in 2015 Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Category:21st-century Canadian educators