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My autistic traits are nothing to be afraid of. They are highly effective strategies in the environments for which they are adapted. If you spend time with me in these environments, a little of these traits may rub off on you, and your movement through these environments may be eased.

I have come to never doubt this.

I have also come to never doubt that people with autistic traits are not to be feared–whether we are nonverbal or highly talkative, highly energetic or profoundly still, highly organized or seemingly chaotic, hermetic or super social. If you recognize the environments for which we are adapted, and move through these environments with us, we often rub off on you in ways that make these environments easier for you to navigate.

We are connected to something, which sometimes makes us appear disconnected to you. If you connect with us, you connect to something, too.

continue reading ♾️

neuroemergence

Because no one asked, here’s one take on neurodivergence: We have the Latin-derived terms horizontal and vertical to describe the x- and y-axes in a two-dimensional model. The fact that there is no handy, colloquial Latin-derived word for the z-axis, or depth, suggests that writers and thinkers driving language forward are not accustomed to interacting…

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❤️‍🩹

We could simply care for one another, but capitalism demands that its needs are met first, and its cut exhausts our resources, completely. We must then engage with capitalism to simply receive care, and we cannot care except through transaction. To care becomes a term for believing in something strongly, while being reminded, moment by moment, of our being too busy to engage our natural response to offer care. We need to care for one another. Capitalism doesn’t care.

neurodiversity journey: recognition

Now that I am coming to understand my own neurodivergence, from the inside, (my punch card is getting full! It’s pretty clear I have autistic traits, in addition to ADHD, aphantasia, and proprioception hyposensitivity. Hurray!), I understand some of my differences as gifts. My inner blindness reroutes my visual processing through my language system–words are…

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neurodiversity journey: autism spectrum

TW: expletives In my studies since diagnosis with ADHD, I have learned of my aphantasia and proprioception hyposensitivity. I have been participating in support groups with other ND people, and I have come to believe that I may be autistic as well. So, I go online to take the Autism Spectrum Quotient test (created by…

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