Thread by @LercyMoth

[Thread - Feel free to retweet]
Since #autistic is trending, here's some information for anyone suspecting they're autistic:

- Self DX is valid and supported by many PhD researchers and universities
- The DSM autism criteria is inaccurate and rejected by many PhD scientists

- Most accurate information on autism comes from autistic people, including organizations like @NeuroClastic and @autselfadvocacy
- Most mainstream autism research comes from non-autistic people who spread stereotypes as 'accurate' research (ex: autists lack empathy)

- Autism Speaks is not autism friendly
- Autistic people do not lack empathy, and have been overwhelmingly found to have huge amounts of it
- Most autism research tries to frame everything about us as bad, even the things about us that are arguably good.

https://twitter.com/DeeNewtsoda/status/1514965559410057219

- Autism research continues to try to frame autism as an illness in what is known as pathologizing. Examples include talking about the 'risk' of autism (as if it's a bad thing) and saying autistic people HAVE autism (as if they have a disease)

https://twitter.com/DrMBotha/status/1536123967693520899

- On that note, autistic people prefer to be called autistic people, not "people with autism" or people that are "on the spectrum", as it makes us sound diseased.
- The idea of an autism cure is eugenics. The NHS agrees with this, studies find most autists dont want one.

- Not all autistic people 'look' autistic. I met multiple autistic people who acted a lot differently than me, which gave me a flawed idea of what autistic people are. Because of that, I had no clue I was autistic until I was 21 years old.

- Most autistic people are NOT male.
- Due to societal expectations and stereotypes, it's harder for POC and women to get an autism diagnosis

https://twitter.com/Girl_Unleeshed/status/1518650374437101568

- High / low functioning labels are inaccurate. Functioning criteria is based in pseudoscience, has contradictory criteria, and is discriminatory
- No one is 'severely' autistic, severe autism is rejected by the autistic community and plenty of autistic researchers.

- LGBT issues are intertwined in autistic issues. Many people make us undergo ABA therapy, which has been condemned as conversion therapy for autistic people. It was even made by some of the original creators of gay conversion therapy: Ivar Lovaas.

- On that note, many ABA practitioners try to claim it's not harmful anymore, even though multiple ABA practitioners have left the field due to its abusive practices like withholding food. ABAI also supported the JRC, which shocks autistic people.
(please check #StopTheShock)

- Most #autistic people who don't get an autism diagnosis think that their autistic traits are just weird, random traits they have. Ex: Having a hard time interpreting what people are saying despite having good hearing, being sensitive to certain smells or tastes.

- Most #autistic people are also #trans. The lived experiences of both groups have some overlap. Ex: Feeling like you dont fit in with the norms, questioning your identity, not knowing that you're autistic (or trans) until you learn what it means to be that.

If you want to learn more about autism, here's what I suggest you do:
- Look for information provided by people who are actually autistic
- Search #ActuallyAutistic or "(autism OR autistic" in twitter's search bar
- Follow autistic people on twitter.

People I suggest following to learn about autism:
@AutSciPerson
@autismsupsoc
@NeuroClastic
@autselfadvocacy
@commaficionado
@AutisticCallum_
@abaukdiscussion
@maxwellaut
@NeuroRebel
@AutismInspired
@KieranRose7
@MaxieMoosie
@ekverstania
(sorry for the ping)