"Sorry, dude, you're not Autistic." It's a sentiment I've heard a few times since identifying myself as such. In other words, "You're not Autistic until I say you're Autistic."
In these times, I take comfort in remembering that I know a lot more about Autism than most people. Most people haven't read Neurotribes, or Unmasking Autism, or any of Temple Grandin's books. Most people are not Autistic themselves.
For now, here are three data points that can help with common misconceptions about Autism.
Did you know that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Autism is a “spectrum” disorder? [source] Folks in the Autism community are quick to note that the spectrum is nonlinear, more like a color wheel than a slider on a measuring stick.
Did you know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approx. 1 in 36 children in the U.S. was identified as having Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2020? [source]
Did you know self diagnosis is widely recognized in the Autistic community? Here’s one of my favorite Autistic thought leaders, Louise Chandler, explaining why they support it.
For the sake of sharing and providing more illumination to the puzzle assembly table, I have a dedicated post for my self identification story, including a tidy list of Autisticky things about myself. Not because I need to prove it to anyone, only because everyone benefits when Autism is better understood, and because collaborative computation is how we're going to get there.
You can find the link below.
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