Let me explain why I have been emotionally frustrated when I see non-autistic people replying to my threads about burnout with
"Doesn't everyone experience this though?"
Because we aren't allowed our own space to talk about our own unique experiences as autistics.
1/8
"Doesn't everyone experience this though?"
Because we aren't allowed our own space to talk about our own unique experiences as autistics.
1/8
Because we don't have the language to even express how different it is to grow up being expected to be a different human being than you are 24/7 since you were 5 years old.
Because we are never allowed respite from educating and explaining to neurotypical minds.
2/8
Because we are never allowed respite from educating and explaining to neurotypical minds.
2/8
Because when you say "Doesn't everyone?" you are negating the unique aspects of growing up as an autistic person in a society hostile to autistic people.
If you are asking that question, you clearly don't have enough information about the autistic experience to answer it.
3/8
If you are asking that question, you clearly don't have enough information about the autistic experience to answer it.
3/8
Because for too long neurotypical needs to claim every sort of struggle or identity or piece of media or content has overridden autistic voices.
Non-autistic parents,
non-autistic researchers,
non-autistic "professionals"
still to this day own the autism narrative.
4/8
Non-autistic parents,
non-autistic researchers,
non-autistic "professionals"
still to this day own the autism narrative.
4/8
So no, whenever you think "I relate to this"
that doesn't mean you get to say "isn't this universal and doesn't need to be seen from an autistic lens?"
"Isn't this just what EVERYONE experiences?"
It's akin to "Isn't everyone a little autistic though?"
5/8
that doesn't mean you get to say "isn't this universal and doesn't need to be seen from an autistic lens?"
"Isn't this just what EVERYONE experiences?"
It's akin to "Isn't everyone a little autistic though?"
5/8
I don't say this often, and I can barely ever say this to anyone in person, but
You're Wrong.
You are allowed to relate to an experience written by an autistic person without saying "Doesn't everyone?" and without assuming yours is exactly the same,
Because It's Not.
6/8
You're Wrong.
You are allowed to relate to an experience written by an autistic person without saying "Doesn't everyone?" and without assuming yours is exactly the same,
Because It's Not.
6/8
It's Not, unless you are an undiagnosed autistic person. In which case, welcome.
In any other case,
Stop co-opting autistic people's experiences as if they were the same, because they are not. You will never have an autistic brain. So no, not everyone experiences it.
7/8
In any other case,
Stop co-opting autistic people's experiences as if they were the same, because they are not. You will never have an autistic brain. So no, not everyone experiences it.
7/8
In fact, only autistic people do.
(And neurodivergent people and disabled people in general may be able to relate to some extent - but they are also not autistic).
So PLEASE stop telling me it's the same. Because I'm telling you right now, it's fucking not.
8/8
(And neurodivergent people and disabled people in general may be able to relate to some extent - but they are also not autistic).
So PLEASE stop telling me it's the same. Because I'm telling you right now, it's fucking not.
8/8
Blog post version is here -
autisticscienceperson.com/2021/09/26/aut…
autisticscienceperson.com/2021/09/26/aut…
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