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April 2nd is the day set aside to show our support for education and understanding of autism and autistic people. I know a lot of people dislike the "Light it up Blue" movement for "reasons", I don't understand why, I have never seen anything official from them that states that autistic people are anything more or less than people who need understanding of their needs and capabilities. As a high functioning autistic person myself I know what it is like to be misjudged or dismissed because of my problems socializing with "normal" people.
A big deal for me is just how dishonest, "normal" people are. Often they will say they mean something when it is obvious that it is not the case, social dishonesty, usually as a form of "fitting in" or as polite behavior. Cruel or mean spirited jokes, which when called out on their behavior they defend as, "just kidding". Yes, if by just kidding, you mean that you are behaving in a childish and immature fashion that is only acceptable if you are a kid.
Being autistic means I have to put a lot more effort into socializing, watching and listening for cues to determine the intentions of others that "normal" people take for granted, or simply pick up instinctively. It's tiring and seldom rewarding, 9/10 people I meet simply are not worth the effort to deal with, or have anything of interest to say to me. Fortunately being the way I am, means that I do not feel the need to socialize like "normal" people do.
A big deal for me is just how dishonest, "normal" people are. Often they will say they mean something when it is obvious that it is not the case, social dishonesty, usually as a form of "fitting in" or as polite behavior. Cruel or mean spirited jokes, which when called out on their behavior they defend as, "just kidding". Yes, if by just kidding, you mean that you are behaving in a childish and immature fashion that is only acceptable if you are a kid.
Being autistic means I have to put a lot more effort into socializing, watching and listening for cues to determine the intentions of others that "normal" people take for granted, or simply pick up instinctively. It's tiring and seldom rewarding, 9/10 people I meet simply are not worth the effort to deal with, or have anything of interest to say to me. Fortunately being the way I am, means that I do not feel the need to socialize like "normal" people do.
Category Artwork (Traditional) / My Little Pony / Brony
Species Pony
Size 922 x 731px
File Size 93.5 kB
Thank you for being open enough to share something like this with the fandom, darling bird. Autism seems to be an often-claimed yet seldom-understood thing in the furry fandom and your personal account of what it encapsulates within your experiences is informative and more than a little moving.
I hope to see others join you on this matter in as clear and open a fashion.
I hope to see others join you on this matter in as clear and open a fashion.
*adjusts her falseface* I'll admit, I don't understand what it is to be autistic. I've always been more of the social bombardier, fitting most situations and gatherings well enough and if not, making it work. *snickers* Most of what I've seen in terms of explanations of autism online has been so vague as to be almost inaccessible or come from a source which, if questioned for further explanation, becomes rather jagged and defensive.
Thank you for explaining this in a way that made sense to an outsider- something more personal than clinical or just read off of wikipedia.
If it would be okay to ask- I know the Matron has mentioned a specific term, an "Aspie" when we've discussed your autism. I know the South Park dude-bro dipshit idea of what that means but I was wondering if you would care to elaborate on it, please?
Thank you for explaining this in a way that made sense to an outsider- something more personal than clinical or just read off of wikipedia.
If it would be okay to ask- I know the Matron has mentioned a specific term, an "Aspie" when we've discussed your autism. I know the South Park dude-bro dipshit idea of what that means but I was wondering if you would care to elaborate on it, please?
aspie, short for Aspbergers syndrome is a form of high funtioning autism. By high functioning, I mean that I have a much easier time dealing with social situations than more extreme forms of autism, I have the ability to read and form nonverbal emotional cues such as facial expression and body language. Aspbergers is often explained as being too intelligent for your own good, usually it involves an extreme interest or passion in a scientific or technical area of expertise, literal minded behavior, difficulty in responding to figures of speech in a "normal" manner, and a severe distaste for dishonesty or manipulative behavior.
Article from February 14, 2020: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outl.....tistic-people/
“Autism Speaks adopts all of the language of diversity. But its actions don’t match up.”
“Autism Speaks has actively contributed to the hostility that autistic people face.”
“[A]s the largest nonprofit related to autism, it spent years promoting ideas and information that furthered stigma and misunderstanding about the condition.”
“[I]t partnered with “Sesame Street” to promote a tool kit for parents of newly diagnosed children that, among other things, compares autism to leukemia and suggests that mourning is a normal response to learning of an autism diagnosis.”
“Autism is neither a degenerative nor a fatal condition. No one dies of autism. But the rhetoric in the tool kit made autism diagnosis sound as though a child has died.”
“Autism Speaks has consistently stood against autistic empowerment and self-advocacy on Capitol Hill. In 2014, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network said Autism Speaks lobbied heavily to kill an amendment to the Autism Cares Act that would have set benchmarks for the inclusion of autistic people in the research and policies that affect their own lives. The Autism Cares Act gives billions of dollars to provider organizations and nothing to autistic-led organizations, services or quality-of-life improvements.”
“Autism Speaks adopts all of the language of diversity. But its actions don’t match up.”
“Autism Speaks has actively contributed to the hostility that autistic people face.”
“[A]s the largest nonprofit related to autism, it spent years promoting ideas and information that furthered stigma and misunderstanding about the condition.”
“[I]t partnered with “Sesame Street” to promote a tool kit for parents of newly diagnosed children that, among other things, compares autism to leukemia and suggests that mourning is a normal response to learning of an autism diagnosis.”
“Autism is neither a degenerative nor a fatal condition. No one dies of autism. But the rhetoric in the tool kit made autism diagnosis sound as though a child has died.”
“Autism Speaks has consistently stood against autistic empowerment and self-advocacy on Capitol Hill. In 2014, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network said Autism Speaks lobbied heavily to kill an amendment to the Autism Cares Act that would have set benchmarks for the inclusion of autistic people in the research and policies that affect their own lives. The Autism Cares Act gives billions of dollars to provider organizations and nothing to autistic-led organizations, services or quality-of-life improvements.”
In my work, my message is that autism is not one’s limiting factor. Autism in itself is not a crippling disability — no more so than being black in a white country. Moreover, neurotypicals are not as natural at connecting with others as they might like to think. Friendship is an art and science and must be studied as such.
Here is a link to some of the characters I’m developing: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9863748/. I call them the “Spectrum 6”.
Here is a link to some of the characters I’m developing: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9863748/. I call them the “Spectrum 6”.
Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People has been a life-changing book for me. When I read it, I realized the playing field is far more level than I thought. There are basic psychological principles anyone with normal intelligence can apply to trigger trust and respect.
I am surprised how much I relate to Maud. Her tendency to be emotionally withdrawn reminds me of how I used to be (and still struggle with to some extent).
In my own work, I have a “Mane 6” known as the “Spectrum 6”. They are two stallions and four mares. Applewood would remind you of both Maud and Marble.
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9863748/
In my own work, I have a “Mane 6” known as the “Spectrum 6”. They are two stallions and four mares. Applewood would remind you of both Maud and Marble.
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9863748/
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