I have a big blog. I want to make sure that anyone interacting with me (especially younger people) understand a few things.
What Autism Is:
Autism is a social and language developmental neurological condition. It is from birth (probably from early on in utero).
It is a complex mesh of symptoms, some of which all autistics experience, and some only experienced by a portion of the community.
Autism can be with or without intellectual disabilities.
Autism is lifelong.
1 in 100 people (approximately) have autism. That’s approximately 1.9% of the population. This number varies depending on country.
Diagnosis is a long and difficult process, not available to all. Self-diagnosis is just as difficult and adhere to strict standards to ensure the person is taking care of themselves as they don’t have access to available care.
What Autism Is Not:
Single symptoms. Not one of the symptoms I ever give should ever be taken as proof of autism on its own. A single symptom, even the most common of difficulty understanding social interaction, is not autism on its own.
Autism is not fun or trendy. It is a disability for many.
Autism is not developed, a curse, a spiritual affliction, due to vaccines, 5G radiation or any other reason. It is from your genes. If your parents don’t have it, then a aunt or uncle or grandparent etc has it. You need genes.
Autism is not a line of “less autistic” down to “severely autistic”. It is a circle of interweaving abilities that fluctuate day to day.
I 1000% will forever advocate for anyone questioning that they may be autistic or self-diagnose as autistic.
I also want to keep everyone safe, and when I answer asks I am doing so with the assumption of autism.
But please remember, my blog is a resource, not a definite guide. Research, ask around, delve and dig and always read up and keep up with the latest information.
Be aware that autism overlaps with a lot of other conditions and other conditions are frequently comorbid with autism.
Thank you. ❤️
One of those conditions being Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - in fact, hypermobility syndromes in general!
Tired of having an allistic chosen month be all about how allistics should be aware of or accept you?…Tired of allistic feelings being centered and spending a month defending yourself?… Welcome to Autgust! Grab your denim jacket and chew toy and lets ROCK OUT.
The prompts above are just fun suggestions. Celebrate any way you want. This month is for YOU.There are no rules - just rebellion.
Allies can reblog and share, but should not participate.<3
image transcription below:
1. Selfie! (or portrait, etc)
2. Special Interests
3. Autistic Memes
4. Intersectional Disabilities
5. Pets & Service Animals
6. Favorite Autistic Animal Mascot
7. Self Diagnosed⛅
8. Sign Language & Alternative Communication
9. Autigender ⚧
10. Autistic Adults
11. ACTUAL Autism Parents (Autistic Parents)
12. Autistic Kids (4 Autistic Youth to SELF Advocate)
13. Queer Pride️
14. Favorite Autistic Characters (& Headcanons)
~SENSORY WEEK~
15. Light
16. Sound
17. Texture
18. Smells
19. Favorite Foods
20. Your Stims!
21. Flapping Pride
~~~
22. Autistics of Color✊
23. Nonverbal 2 Hyperverbal
24. Introverts 2 Extroverts
25. Autistic Love❤
26. Neuropunk Looks
27. VENT(Ableists get lost.)
28. Trans Autistics️⚧️
29. Autistic Artists
30. Autistic Writers and Stories
31. Autistic Rebellion
(You know what? Maybe steal september and make it “allistic awareness month”)
Hey! Tired of having to share a month -that was chosen by allistics- with allistics? Tired of spending “your” month having to raise your voice over “autism moms”, promoting “awareness”, and fighting puzzle peices and hate groups? ~ WELL NO MORE!
August is officially Âûtistic Rebellion Month. Its ÂûtisticPRIDEMonth. We’re not out here for allistics - we’re out here for ourselves and this is OUR month. ❤
To celebrate, I’ll be making a cheeky Autistic Rebellion fact of the day for each day. Today’s fact is obviously: It’s Autistic Rebellion Month babeyyyy!
If bras hurt your shoulders and make your pain worse, don’t wear them. If that itchy sweater your grandma gave you aggravates your sensory problems, thank her for it, but don’t wear it. If heels make your feet ache or make your dysautonomia flare, wear flats to parties. You shouldn’t follow any social conventions that make your symptoms worse, let alone ones related to something as insignifcant as the clothing you put on your body.
I got my assessment yesterday. Seven hours of testing and interviews. Now I am waiting for the official results on a piece of paper.
This is huge.
This is an answer.
If you are living in the South (US) and need psychologists that will listen and not ridicule you let me know. It took me only 2.5 years to find this place. They also charged less than 1/3 of what other places wanted to charge me.
[ screenshot of a hashtag saying “How do I get my brother out of there? Superhelpful/genuine” ]
A good question!
(and I hope other self-advocating autistic adults can weigh in on this too. The mind of a community is stronger than any individual. )
What comes to my mind:
(and feel free to simply hand this post over to them if that’s easier)
start a conversation with your guardians that involves showing them some links to autsitic articles and research. There are some actually linked in the original post above ^. Videos may help too. Here are three great examples by autistics:1,2,3
Please don’t feel like any of this is your responsibility though. Really, its terrible when any child feels responsible for the learning process or unlearning process of the adults in their lives- because you aren’t! And if your guardians decide to avoid or dismiss the information - that’s not your fault!
But let’s assume they are open to starting this dialouge and to listening to the autistic community… They are probably, at first, going to feel bad, and sometimes guardians will shy away from their guilt by insisting that nothing is wrong, or that its not actually “that” bad, or that their specific case is “different” or “fixed” for x,y, z reasons… Because there are no pleasant truths about any form of ABA, and its hard for guardians to come to terms with the fact they made a mistake so important.
So, speaking directly to any adult guardian who may be reading this:
—–
“We (the autistic community) forgive you”
We forgive you because you made what you thought was the best decision, with the best understanding you had at the time. Now that your understanding is starting to change, what matters is that you continue to make the best decisions you can. Even if that means trying to find new paths, or acknowledging old wrongs.
Being the parent of an autistic kid *is* hard. Not because we are burdens (we aren’t), and not because there is anything wrong with us (there isn’t). But because there is more misinformation about parenting an autistic child than real information, and certainly less real information than there is for parenting an allistic (non-autistic) child. And everywhere you look, you will find autsitic adults who wished their parents had known more, or had done more once they had known more.
We have a lot of anger when we watch allistic parents make the same mistakes that ours did. But we have lot of love and RELIEF, when we watch our voices finally being heard and other allistic parents listening. It feels like catharsis. Like maybe everything we went through finds some healing when it finally saves someone else.
Because make no mistake, even if you don’t believe your ABA place is using shock therapy, or is using physical force, or is using verbal attacks, or emotional neglect…. even if its *just* allistic adults in a room with autistic children trying to reward them for “good” behavior - that’s enough. That’s plenty. That’s why we say “#yes, all ABA”. No autistic kid can learn to be their fully realized autistic adult self if their childhood was spent learning that their natural autistic traits needed to be hidden or exchanged for neurotypical ones.
So thank you parent… grandparent… guardian… For listening, standing with us, and doing the work.
For those who are seeking diagnosis, think they might be autistic or are already diagnosed/self-diagnosed but just confused
Routines/rituals aren’t just getting up at the same time every day.
What can routines look like for an autistic (just general examples, not an exhaustive list):
Getting dressed in the same order. A change of this feels very upsetting.
Eating your food in a particular way. This may be eating each food individually, combining food in certain ways, not letting foods touch etc .
Getting ready for the day in a very particular way, specifically the order and time given to each activity. Being forced to rush or skip an activity is very upsetting.
Only going to certain shops, even if they are out of your way, because you’ve been there before. The same shop in a different suburb is too distressing.
Driving the same route to places. Suggested short cuts, or lane changing without mental preparation etc is very distressing. You would rather stay in the slow lane you 100% know takes you home than go down a new street.
Showering/bathing in the same order.
Stacking dishes or cleaning in a very specific order such as sink first, then counters, then stove etc. This order feels important but you cannot state why.
Work plans or school plans are day specific. You struggle to do banking on a Thursday, because that’s a Friday activity, even though Thursday is just fine. But it’s a Friday activity…so can’t do it today.
To outsiders these routines/rituals seem to have no purpose but they are sacrosanct to the autistic individual. Changes must be given time, with lots of notifications and check-ups to ensure we’re accepting the changes.
(⚠️Trigger warning for shitty behavior that caused me daily meltdowns/shutdowns)
I’ve been reading about Autistic Burnout and realizing just how badly I’ve been experiencing it over the years. My second to last work place was really awful to me, despite how hard I tried and how many hours I put in to the company. The number of times I would end up retreating to the bathroom to bang my head against the wall/angrily hand flap was way too high on even a DAILY basis.
Pink text is things actually said to me/things I was called at work. Purple is my perception of myself/truths.
Anyways fuck them and fuck the fact that they used my autistic traits against me as an excuse for their behavior. You don’t get to tell me I’m “irritating” and when I ask how I can do better say, “it’s not my job to parent you/if you haven’t learned by now, how can you expect me to teach it to you?” FUCK. YOU.
ALT
ALT
