Today (April 2nd, 2024) is the 17th Annual World Autism Day. This is my 7th World Autism Day, knowing that I am Autistic.

I have many feelings about April, watching it come and go since I first learned I am Autistic a few months before my twenty-ninth birthday. For many Autistic people, April can be a source of frustration and pain (because instead of promoting acceptance and understanding, traditional awareness campaigns often perpetuate harmful stereotypes, contributing to our continued stigmatization).

Something my international readers don’t always understand about ABA in the US:

ABA is “standard of care” for Autistic kids here. People (school, doctors, family members, court systems) can all report you to CPS for “medical neglect” if they hear you’re “withholding ABA” from an Autistic child… and then it may become court ordered.

I’ve known families this has happened to.

Did you know the police have NO authority over you UNLESS you have committed a crime or they suspect you have committed a crime or are about to commit a crime based on 2 things: RAS (reasonable articulable suspicion) & SAF (single articulable FACT) that points to you committing or attempting to commit a crime.

Despite this, police will often abuse their power, giving unlawful orders to members of the public who don’t technically have to obey them.

With the recent attempt at anti-Autistic, anti-trans legislation in Missouri, to exclude trans adults from accessing trans-affirming care if they are Autistic, or have a mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression) to be remedied before one can access care. Something our cis allies may not understand is that the feeling of gender incongruence (or gender dysphoria) causes anxiety and depression. Additionally, the cure that medical professionals agree on for the anxiety and depression from gender dysphoria is...

Coming out nonbinary has been like coming out Autistic in many ways.

Many people don't believe nonbinary people exist. Some people also don't believe Autism and Autistic People exist. If they believe in Autism (or nonbinary people), they tell me they don't believe me, insinuating (or outright saying) I am "faking" being Autistic, nonbinary, or both for attention.

The people who hate Queer People want us to go back into the closets, back into hiding, back to denying who we are to make the cis-het people more comfortable, but I can't return to the closet because I transitioned publicly... I can't hide even if I wanted to. The last time I tried to hide, I became so burned out and depressed I almost ended it.

I refuse to do it again.

It has been brought to my attention that some of my paid subscribers may still be getting charged even though I cancelled it in my end.

If you’re still getting charged or listed as my subscriber on Twitter PLEASE unsubscribe.

I’m not getting the money, Elon is.

https://twitter.com/neurorebel/status/1664681488082665502

When I canceled on my end I lost access to the monetization dashboard and all the money in the account was fortified.

Library cancels trans speaker after Montana bans drag readings - ABC News via @ABC - abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/l… Montana's new law banning drag reading events at public libraries has led to the cancellation of a transgender speaker in a southwestern Montana city on Friday

When people talk about getting out of abusive relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, work relationships, & escaping toxic parents), those who’ve never been there always say they “don’t understand why people stay in abusive relationships” - a VERY privileged take. People stay for a lot of reasons.

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ This thread may be triggering to some readers.

Some people stay because they’re dependent upon the person who is harming them, & don’t know if they can survive without the protection of their abuser.

“Going private” for an ADHD diagnosis…

I did it (because healthcare in the country I live in is privatized, that’s the only option most of us have here). After years of denying my ADHD since it was first suggested in elementary school, I did some research & realized the “label” my guardians has fought very hard to “keep off of me” was true, so I went & got it confirmed on paper.

It was not a shock to people who know me closely.

Today I re-shared a post from a non-speaker on another platform, that said “Books/movies etc about non-speaking experiences should be written and created by non-speakers…”

I agree. We should not be speaking on behalf of experiences that aren’t our own.

We beg non-autistic parents NOT to tell stories that don’t belong to them - nothing about us without us.

It kills me (& literally kills many Autistic People) that we constantly have our co-occurring conditions ignored & dismissed as “just part of autism” (such as anxiety, digestive issues, sensory distress, motor control & interoceptive issues, seizures, EDS, etc.). All of these things are more common in Autistic People but are also things some Autistic People will not have, therefore are not an innate part of the Autistic experience (though they are experiences common in Autistic individuals).

ADHD Interrupted on Facebook asked:

“What would be your ideal Neurodivergent friendly work situation?”

I NEED recharge time and quiet time alone to work without interruptions or distractions (I’m distracting enough on my own).

Also, people (& their unpredictability) drain me. Currently I do days where I do calls and days where o do quiet work and speak to nobody (except 30 minutes of emails and some social media).

NeuroDiversity, brain diversity, diversity in how we experience and interact with the world around us. This often invisible form of diversity impacts how we experience our emotions and the sensory world around us, how we process and share information, and the depth of our focus and our internal experience of time. No two people will experience the world the same way.

Watching people fight so hard to get access to ABA, when it’s been shown to not do what they claim it does (in a government study) AND has been tied to increased risks of PTSD in its survivors is like watching people fight over the right to buy a polished turd. 💩 “the Department remains very concerned about these results, and whether the current design of this demonstration, as well as ABA services specifically, is providing the most appropriate and/or effective services to our beneficiaries diagnosed with ASD.”

therapistndc.org/aba-is-not-eff…

Yesterday I got the following comment on my post taking about the abuse I personally experienced in public school:

“I feel like you speak about abuse of nuerodivergent children in public schools a lot… Only calling out public schools reeks of classism.” Wait??? So it’s “classism” to talk about my bad experiences in public schools & not also talk about other people’s bad experiences in expensive private schools I know nothing about?

This is a blog about my personal experiences. My personal traumas happened in public school.

I shared this on my page and someone told me I should NOT share this type of content if I don’t have “alternatives to ABA to offer”.

https://twitter.com/neurorebel/status/1642533364228866049

I don’t honestly believe there is an alternate because they’re treating Autistic behavior which doesn’t need treatment.

Autism Acceptance Week and Applied Behavior Analysis – Autistic Science Person autisticscienceperson.com/2023/03/31/aut… I shared this on my page and someone told me I should NOT share this type of content if I don’t have “alternatives to ABA to offer”.

Because social media algorithms are starting to shift, meaning content creators who refuse to “pay to play” may start to see reduced distribution to news feeds here in Twitter (and elsewhere), some creators are looking for new options. I’ve already started to create a new community on Substack, where I have more control over my content and distribution.

I’m Lyric, late identified Autistic adult.

I’m also nonbinary and my pronouns are they/them. Please don’t “she” me.

This month, Autism Month, I’m going to be debunking some of the Autism myths I encounter online and in the real world. So, let’s go! First myth: “Autism ends at 18” or we “grow out” of being Autistic. 👎

Reality: Autistic adults exist, though often our struggles become less pronounced as we mature and learn skills that help us to cope in the world.

Myth 2: “Autism is most common in boys” 🚫

Autistic People (ONLY) - how do you feel about "Autism Month?"

Autistic People live Autistic lives year-round. We're not here for "just a month" - we are ALWAYS Autistic every day. Today is April 1st. In addition to being April Fools Day (which I don't personally celebrate), April 1st is the first day of "Autism Month" (formerly Autism Awareness Month, now Autistic Acceptance Month in many circles).