I’m Julian Yon, a musician and computer scientist. I live in a quaint little village called Manchester in the northwest of England, in the United Kingdom. You may have heard of it. I have two beautiful daughters, and we also share our home with some non-human family members. I’m a Christian, and I firmly believe that’s a good thing. But don’t worry, I won’t insist that everyone agrees with me. I’m autistic, as are my children, and while this means that we struggle with many things that neurotypicals do not, it is also a great source of strength in other areas.

My daughters and I also live with a genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). This is an error in the coding for collagen, a very important protein which is the structural base for connective tissues. There are a lot of different mutations that can lead to the condition; the form I have is characterised by joint hypermobility, but that is only the most visible symptom. Because collagen is found everywhere in the body, the disorder is systemic, and affects everything. Severe pain and chronic fatigue, often associated with a secondary condition called fibromyalgia, are a part of life for many people with EDS, and are the biggest reason that I have to use a wheelchair. They also mean that carefully managing energy is crucial.

My disabilities mean I do not attend church often. Because of this, I have chosen to make Christian worship music a key focus of my work. My hope is to enhance the spiritual lives of others by providing resources that they can use in their own worship. But I am happy to do secular work or work for other faith communities too, as long as it does not directly contradict the core beliefs of Christianity. I believe there is more that unites us than divides.

I believe that discrimination against anyone on grounds of gender, sexuality, relationship status, race, disability, or any similar factor is unacceptable. We are all created equal. Therefore I will always refuse work that, in my opinion, would imply endorsement of such discrimination. If you feel strongly that a piece of work that I’ve already done falls into that category, please explain it to me and we can try to find a remedy.

Due to my disabilities and family commitments, I cannot routinely work long hours. However, I believe that good work is worth taking time over, and so I won’t knowingly overcommit myself. This of course means that money is tight. If you would like to help me to support my family, then please do buy my music and encourage others to do so. It is very much appreciated and allows me to continue doing what I do.