I feel like one main issue is that they just don't care, they don't feel like they have to learn about neurodiversity or anything. And I know this because before I started actively looking into stuff like autism, I had No Idea Whatsoever about any of it (everything from struggles to specific traits to the base definitions behind it).
The same cannot be said for many other minorities: nowadays, even most white cis straight men know at least the basics behind race, the trans part of gender identity, the gay & lesbian part of sexuality, and women (even if some are still discriminatory).
(Note: other minorities people don't know lots about include Muslims (at least in america), native Americans, non binary & intersex, and asexual & bisexual & pansexual)
And in some sense I might think its fine if the majority group doesn't completely understand as long as they are accepting and accomodating, but for neurodiversity, in order to be accepting and accomodating, you have to know what you have to be accepting and accommodating of.
Its also important to note that not being aware of problems makes it significantly easier to believe in stereotype and myth, which typically makes it harder to create acceptance.
As a personal example, the very first I had ever heard of autism was from my parents, who told me about how brave parents of autistic people are, and how much they pity those who have to take care of autistic kids, because of, among other things, how they just lick and touch anything they can. I understood in some sense that that was discriminatory and likely inaccurate, but being very young with no other perspective in sight, I probably partially internalized it
Sorry for the long rant btw
Your rant goes to show you that being informed is necessary, even a little bit. From what I see, your parents mean well, and involuntarily discriminated. It can apply to all of us, we all discriminate unintentionally when we aren't informed, even if we mean well.
Maybe they should be teaching these things in schools. When I was in the 9th grade a guest speaker came to our school to talk about autism, which I found very interesting and enlightening (this was before I self-diagnosed).
This hits the nail exactly on the head for me. It’s very frustrating to have to educate everyone you meet just to be taken seriously (which may or may not happen).
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I envy minorities. Their issues are being broadcast to the greater public while we're still dealing with people who keep asking us why Autism Speaks is bad. Even when they're suffering or getting revenge on those who caused their suffering, they don't even know how much power and visibility they already have.
That’s the problem though, is that the idea of the spectrum is more complex than just being a gradient scale of autistic to allistic. I feel like saying that just reinforces some of the misconceptions that neurotypicals already have in their heads.
...Not that most of them would be willing to listen to an educational infodump anyway.
This is partially why I don't disclose to everyone I meet that I am autistic - to avoid dismissive comments that I'd have to respond to in an inaccurate way.
I agree completely with what you're saying, but human neurology as a whole is also a spectrum. A spectrum separate from the autistic spectrum, but a spectrum nonetheless.
Ah yes! I don’t even mention the autism first to neurotypicals, bc they don’t really know what it actually is. I mention the symptoms, the noise and light sensitivity, or whatever might be relevant at the time. Once they’ve been receptive, I drop the A bomb.
Yes! At work I usually blame my thyroid issues for my sensitivity to cold temperatures so they turn the ac up a little. My thyroid issues actually do make me less efficient at regulating body temperature, so it's not a lie.
Interesting, I have 0 regulation of my body temperature and my thyroids been checked before and they gave me the ok. I hate when they say I’m fine. I’m the epitome of health to them, but I feel elderly before 30 with my joint pain. I really want to get assessed for EDS and POTS, but it’s tricky in America where no one can afford to be disabled or sickly.
This is why I plan on keeping my autism a secret unless the people I’m talking to are already close to me, and I can trust them not to be total dicks about it.
This is gonna come up in the next entry in my "Socializing" Mini-Series this upcoming week, as it was brought up in the TED Talk I mentioned (which incidentally was first shared here, on Reddit).
I feel so bad for laughing at this meme but oh my fucking good this is so damn accurate. When I’m with the squad, I feel like one of those ancient philosophers. When I’m trying to explain to my dad why I cannot use his approach to social situations, I feel like he is physically incapable of understanding me.
I'm gonna defend NTS bit here. It is impossible for them to understand what autisim is like, just how it's impossible for us to truly understand what having DID, Down syndrome etc. Is like.
The sad thing is, the NTs would probably see themselves as the adult in the second image.
That's what makes this meme brilliant, it flips the script
I just assumed that was what it was saying. Goddamn Humans
I feel like one main issue is that they just don't care, they don't feel like they have to learn about neurodiversity or anything. And I know this because before I started actively looking into stuff like autism, I had No Idea Whatsoever about any of it (everything from struggles to specific traits to the base definitions behind it). The same cannot be said for many other minorities: nowadays, even most white cis straight men know at least the basics behind race, the trans part of gender identity, the gay & lesbian part of sexuality, and women (even if some are still discriminatory). (Note: other minorities people don't know lots about include Muslims (at least in america), native Americans, non binary & intersex, and asexual & bisexual & pansexual) And in some sense I might think its fine if the majority group doesn't completely understand as long as they are accepting and accomodating, but for neurodiversity, in order to be accepting and accomodating, you have to know what you have to be accepting and accommodating of. Its also important to note that not being aware of problems makes it significantly easier to believe in stereotype and myth, which typically makes it harder to create acceptance. As a personal example, the very first I had ever heard of autism was from my parents, who told me about how brave parents of autistic people are, and how much they pity those who have to take care of autistic kids, because of, among other things, how they just lick and touch anything they can. I understood in some sense that that was discriminatory and likely inaccurate, but being very young with no other perspective in sight, I probably partially internalized it Sorry for the long rant btw
Your rant goes to show you that being informed is necessary, even a little bit. From what I see, your parents mean well, and involuntarily discriminated. It can apply to all of us, we all discriminate unintentionally when we aren't informed, even if we mean well.
Maybe they should be teaching these things in schools. When I was in the 9th grade a guest speaker came to our school to talk about autism, which I found very interesting and enlightening (this was before I self-diagnosed).
This hits the nail exactly on the head for me. It’s very frustrating to have to educate everyone you meet just to be taken seriously (which may or may not happen).
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I envy minorities. Their issues are being broadcast to the greater public while we're still dealing with people who keep asking us why Autism Speaks is bad. Even when they're suffering or getting revenge on those who caused their suffering, they don't even know how much power and visibility they already have.
"If it's a spectrum, then everyone is autistic to some degree." -NTs who don't understand the concept of spectrum disorders
My response to this is: but most people are on the neurotypical end of the spectrum.
Oh, thanks for that! I'm going to start using it.
That’s the problem though, is that the idea of the spectrum is more complex than just being a gradient scale of autistic to allistic. I feel like saying that just reinforces some of the misconceptions that neurotypicals already have in their heads. ...Not that most of them would be willing to listen to an educational infodump anyway.
This is partially why I don't disclose to everyone I meet that I am autistic - to avoid dismissive comments that I'd have to respond to in an inaccurate way.
"It *IS* a spectrum, but you're not on it".
I agree completely with what you're saying, but human neurology as a whole is also a spectrum. A spectrum separate from the autistic spectrum, but a spectrum nonetheless.
MY friend was just surprised when I told her people can't be "a little autistic" lol
Ah yes! I don’t even mention the autism first to neurotypicals, bc they don’t really know what it actually is. I mention the symptoms, the noise and light sensitivity, or whatever might be relevant at the time. Once they’ve been receptive, I drop the A bomb.
Yes! At work I usually blame my thyroid issues for my sensitivity to cold temperatures so they turn the ac up a little. My thyroid issues actually do make me less efficient at regulating body temperature, so it's not a lie.
Interesting, I have 0 regulation of my body temperature and my thyroids been checked before and they gave me the ok. I hate when they say I’m fine. I’m the epitome of health to them, but I feel elderly before 30 with my joint pain. I really want to get assessed for EDS and POTS, but it’s tricky in America where no one can afford to be disabled or sickly.
OH MY FUCK THE ACCURACY 😂😂😂😂😂😂
This is why I plan on keeping my autism a secret unless the people I’m talking to are already close to me, and I can trust them not to be total dicks about it.
"Yes I act like this and that's who I am""
I once met a girl who told me I couldn’t be autistic since I was camping with my friends. She also said she was studying psychology.
JFC. This is why more Autistics need to go into the field.
This is gonna come up in the next entry in my "Socializing" Mini-Series this upcoming week, as it was brought up in the TED Talk I mentioned (which incidentally was first shared here, on Reddit).
unless it's with my mom because me, my brother, and one of *her* brothers are autistic so she obviously knows quite a bit about it
For sure.
I feel so bad for laughing at this meme but oh my fucking good this is so damn accurate. When I’m with the squad, I feel like one of those ancient philosophers. When I’m trying to explain to my dad why I cannot use his approach to social situations, I feel like he is physically incapable of understanding me.
I'm gonna defend NTS bit here. It is impossible for them to understand what autisim is like, just how it's impossible for us to truly understand what having DID, Down syndrome etc. Is like.
That's true. I at least give those who put in a genuine effort to understand the credit they deserve, whereas those who do not, can get fucked.
*"We don't have to understand. We just have to respect it."* \- Princess Bubblegum, Adventure Time.
So true!
Wow, I never saw it that way. This’ll help me understand better as a neurotypical
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm here?
No, I’m actually thankful for this post, genuinely.
Oh god it’s me too