Heather Cook🖖Autistic CoachMany autism therapies have as their goal to make autistic children “normal,” or “indistinguishable from their peers.” 1/3
#Autism #autistic #ActuallyAutistic #AutismAcceptance #Acceptance #autismacceptancemonth
This is the goal of many parents, autism professionals, and even many autistics themselves. It was my goal for a long time. It’s so tempting. It’s normal to want to be normal.
This is not my goal anymore. I was born in this world the way that I am, which means I have a right to be in this world the way that I am. My happy, flappy autistic self.
🇩🇰Blue.@hmm_cook WHAT. I’ve tried (not knowingly) to be normal for 50 years. (I rounded down). No matter what I do or did or tried. I would, will, ever never BE NORMAL. It’s (society) never been a matter of trying to become somewhat a place where we can fit. It’s always been :” let’s medicate you so you think you’ll be able to fit in, but still have a hard time. Then we’ll fire you and claim that you was the problem and didn’t try hard enough to fit in.”
Raul Portales@hmm_cook I was lucky enough to come to that realisation around 18-20 years old, without even knowing I was autistic.
I was just tired of trying to fit in and being told I was not normal, so I accepted it and embraced it.
Token Sane Person@hmm_cook Same. I've got a bunch of comparatively minor neurodivergencies. Some give me strengths I exploit in my career/vocation. Others are weaknesses I have to work around. But I see them as a package deal, and I have never wanted to be merely normal.