this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2023
310 points (78.9% liked)

Autism

6785 readers
175 users here now

A community for respectful discussion and memes related to autism acceptance. All neurotypes are welcome.

We have created our own instance! Visit Autism Place the following community for more info.

Community:

Values

  • Acceptance
  • Openness
  • Understanding
  • Equality
  • Reciprocity
  • Mutuality
  • Love

Rules

  1. No abusive, derogatory, or offensive post/comments e.g: racism, sexism, religious hatred, homophobia, gatekeeping, trolling.
  2. Posts must be related to autism, off-topic discussions happen in the matrix chat.
  3. Your posts must include a text body. It doesn't have to be long, it just needs to be descriptive.
  4. Do not request donations.
  5. Be respectful in discussions.
  6. Do not post misinformation.
  7. Mark NSFW content accordingly.
  8. Do not promote Autism Speaks.
  9. General Lemmy World rules.

Encouraged

  1. Open acceptance of all autism levels as a respectable neurotype.
  2. Funny memes.
  3. Respectful venting.
  4. Describe posts of pictures/memes using text in the body for our visually impaired users.
  5. Welcoming and accepting attitudes.
  6. Questions regarding autism.
  7. Questions on confusing situations.
  8. Seeking and sharing support.
  9. Engagement in our community's values.
  10. Expressing a difference of opinion without directly insulting another user.
  11. Please report questionable posts and let the mods deal with it. Chat Room
  • We have a chat room! Want to engage in dialogue? Come join us at the community's Matrix Chat.

.

Helpful Resources

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

I am on the autism spectrum. I'm well into middle age.

Being autistic is like being in a poker game where you keep getting dealt hands that are high-card, and everyone else is getting straights, flushes, or even just pairs, and you only get out when you're bankrupt. Yeah, I play the hand I'm dealt, and I'm going to lose every goddamn time.

EDIT: A better analogy is gonna be Pinnochio (or A. I. Artificial Intelligence). I'm never going to be a real boy (any no, it's not because I'm AFAB and also a gender essentialist). No matter how hard I work at being better, there's no good fae that's going to come along and use their fae magic to make me a real boy. I'm never going to have the experiences of the real children, because I'm simply not one of them. I can ape their external characteristics, but I can't be them. While this--being autistic--is a result of evolution (it's likely a non-beneficial genetic mutation), humans have largely evolved to survive as a social species, to have close relationships and tribal affiliations. I'm always going to be on the outside, rather than part of an in-group.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why do you think there is such a thing as a 'real boy'? It is likely that most other people you know are envious of you for something else - maybe your ability to paint, or your voice - and are thinking 'if only I could draw / sing like Helixdab2. But I'll never have real talent.' Yes, some people get dealt a better hand than others, but that doesn't make them an ideal to aspire to.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Being envious of me for an ability is irrelevant to the point.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Unrelated to your comment, but you should probably do some research on the gender essentialism front. We've known gender and sex are different for a long time, and should treat trans people as their gender, not their biological sex.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You misunderstand; I'm making fun of the people that claim that gender and biological sex are the same thing. I am not a gender essentialist, nor am I AFAB.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm sort of convinced that ASD is a view of the future where humans finally shrug off the bonds of being descended from apes. So much of the nastiness that humans are capable of come from the sort of behavior that allowed our ancestors to survive. We no longer live there and no longer need to think in that way.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Disagree. People on the spectrum are subject to the same kind of irrational hatred and violent impulses as every other person. Given that a common issue with people on the spectrum is an inability to read emotional and contextual cues, I'd argue that people on the spectrum are less evolved. We're certainly less capable, in that we have fewer capabilities than neurotypical people.

[–] havokdj 1 points 1 year ago

I agree with the first part, but that's a case by case basis, just like NT's. Those traits are not mutually exclusive with autism.