Thread by @AtypicalPsych

Greta Thunberg’s facial expressions & personal thoughts are not really anyone’s business. However, back in September, a number of #Autists felt that a #BodyLanguageExpert‘s unsolicited projections had so widely missed the mark that something needed to be said. 🧵 1/8

#Autistic people are said to have difficulty reading #BodyLanguage. But this really means they have difficulty reading #Neurotypical nonverbal language. We actually have far less difficulty understanding our own neurotype, despite having been raised to mimic the words ... 2/8

...& mannerisms of the dominant majority.

@milton_damian has written about the #DoubleEmpathy problem - essentially a breakdown in reciprocity & mutual understanding between people with very differing ways of experiencing the world, in this case #Autists vs #Neurotypicals. 3/8

#Autists are often stunned by mainstream misinterpretations of our speech or mannerisms. A case in point was the #BodyLanguageExpert‘s reading of Greta Thunberg’s evocative facial expression last September when she unexpectedly saw Trump at the U.N. 4/8

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7…

Although the expert was allegedly familiar with #Autism, it was largely forgotten that day.

She opined Greta felt “devastation & other *normal* emotions” by being “ignored & upstaged” by Trump “hijacking her big moment” & that “anybody would feel the emotions... she did...” 5/8

(Greta) “was angry... wanted to stick her tongue out at him (Trump).” (?!)

The expert then likened Greta’s reaction to “being the bride at a wedding & watching someone prance down the aisle ahead of you.” (???)

Wow, wow, wow! So many assumptions. & ludicrous for an #AUTIST. 6/8

From an #ASD standpoint, Greta’s dagger-glare seemed perfectly appropriate given how surprised & confused she must have been by the unexpected commotion & undoubtedly FURIOUS to see Trump the #ClimateCrisis denier & generally unsettled by the intrusion/interruption. 7/8

That’s it. END.

No need for scorned brides, limelight hijackings, presidential tongue-poking fantasies... to explain Greta’s priceless scowl that day.

So, yes, it was a “normal” reaction - but for COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REASONS.
#CrossNeurotypeCommunication
#DoubleEmpathy