• Fidgeting And Stuttering Do NOT Always Indicate That Someone Is Nervous.

can i call you back im doing something weird

It’s never too late to learn the right way to do things: button sewing technique via imgur → more…

Like, I really need people who are against self diagnosis, the majority of whom had the privilege of being diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, to understand how racist, classist, and ableist this viewpoint is.

So many people of color go undiagnosed. Their adhd/autism is chalked up to behavioral problems and no one bothers to look into it further.

So many poor people don’t have the money to be able to afford getting a formal evaluation. That shit is expensive.

So many people get misdiagnosed. Afab adults in particular are more likely to get diagnosed with BPD when they actually have adhd or autism. People with a trauma history have their symptoms chalked up to trauma and all adhd/autism specific symptoms are ignored.

If you were diagnosed as a child or teen you have absolutely no right to dismiss people (especially adults, afab people, and people of color) and act like self diagnosis is harmful. Most people who self-dx do so after extensive research and they know themselves better than you. Self-dx doesn’t take anything away from people with a formal diagnosis; it helps the individual find an understanding community and coping skills that make their lives easier. If you’re bothered by that, that says a lot about your character.

Just Autistic Things...

Being excited about beige food and sitting alone in your room while watching your special interest on youtube for the 50th time this month...ngl I’m excited as heck for it!

(TW FOR ABLEISM, MELTDOWNS, ETC.)

Supporting disabled people is more than just supporting us when you think its cute, easy, or beneficial for you.

If your support ends when you see an adult in public with a diaper bulge, you aren't supporting disabled people.

If your support ends when you see someone drooling, you aren't supporting disabled people.

If your support ends when someone has a violent meltdown in public, you aren't supporting disabled people.

If your support ends when someone needs help being fed, you aren't supporting disabled people.

Etc. Etc. Etc.

I know that you dont think its cute or aesthetically pleasing to try and calm me down and be understanding of me when I throw my communication device across the room and slam my head into the ground because someone laughed too loudly, I know that you think its embarrassing. I know you dont think it's all "uwu cute tism" when I can't shower for a week straight and spend the whole day crying, yelling, and biting myself, but if that makes you angry at me, you arent supporting disabled people.

What is your limit to supporting disabled people? What is your limit to being okay with the fact that I am NOT like your nondisabled friends?

Where does the support end and the disgust start? How long until we are "too disabled" for you?

/not at anyone specific

I’m nonverbal, but I feel as if my support needs are low to medium because I am able to live by myself. I do have issues that I need assistance on like knowing when to eat and reminding myself to do things due to lack of time understanding, but I can function well on my own. 

There's a user on this site who is autistic and recently made a post about support needs, and I wanted your opinion as someone who has higher support needs than myself, cause I need to know if I'm in the right for disagreeing with them.

In their post, they claimed that when autistics refer to support needs, they're only talking about social deficits. If you're nonverbal, you're automatically high support needs. If you can speak clearly and verbally with ease but can't perform ADLs, you're still low support needs because autism is only a social disability.

Is that... right?? because a lot of autistic blogs are agreeing with them but I found it really perplexing and insulting, so I wanted to hear your thoughts.

I fully disagree with that person.

I know speaking people with high support needs. I know nonspeaking people with low support needs.

Support needs refers to how much support someone needs in daily life. I have mid-high support needs, not because I am nonspeaking, but because I will never be able to live alone, I cannot take care of myself, etc. and due to these things I NEED SUPPORT. Being nonspeaking absolutely makes my support needs higher than a speaking persons in the area of communication, but in general? Absolutely not. "Social deficits" can be related to support needs for some people, but that is most definitely not what it means.

I will always need to live with someone - that heightens my support needs.

I can not make myself food - that heightens my support needs.

I need quite a few disability aids - that heightens my support needs.

You probably get the idea.

Also, autism is NOT "only a social disability", that's part of it, yeah, but saying that's all it is is so invalidating and just-- isnt true??

Autism is a developmental disability. It affects my communication. It affects how I feel. It affects how I learn. It affects how I process. It affects how I think. There is nothing in me that isnt affected by me being autistic. Autism is not "just a social disability". A very quick google search will inform you that autism is a developmental disability.

What’s happening to autistic people right now?

(Trigger warning for abuse, electroshock therapy, torture, and ableism.)

The US court has overturned the ban on shock devices being used against disabled students, predominantly autistic students in the US.

The shock device being legalized is called the graduated electronic decelerator (or GED). This is a torture device that is used to ‘correct’ autistic behaviors / symptoms. Autistic people are shocked for stimming, and for having meltdowns, ect. This device was made popular by a behavioral center (the Judge Rosenberg Center, specifically) that is infamous for its abuse and torture of autistic / disabled patients.

(Image ID: someone is holding their arm out and resting it on a table, with their sleeve rolled up. Attached to their arm are wires, which connect to a small cube device.)

This is what the device looks like. It sends electric shocks into the victim’s skin; the victim often being restrained and held against their will. This is torture. GEDs have been reported to cause intense psychological trauma, PTSD, and physical injuries.

In March of 2020, the FDA ruled for GEDs to be banned. (Although, of course, they were still illegally used at a number of places.) This ruling has recently been appealed, and today, the US court of appeals has re-regulated the law to stop the use of GED. Sounds great, right? It would be!

... If not for a huge loophole in the wording, which basically allows this torture to continue. This device is going to have continued use on autistic students in order to “correct their behavior.”

“So.... What can I do??”

Great question! You can:

Listen to and boost autistic voices to spread awareness

As-of now (July 7th), autistic activists are trying to get #StopTheShock trending on Twitter, so Tweet out the hashtag if you have Twitter

If you’re in the US, email / call your legislators

Sign this petition if you’re in the US

Follow this case and look out for updates

If Autism Speaks (known ableist hategroup) says anything about this, DO NOT BOOST IT

That’s all! Thank you. Reblogs are very appreciated!!

I think I’m hungry… Or have to throw up, I don’t know. I’m hydrated and I just went to the toilet, so this can’t be the cause. Hm…

Stay tuned next for “what is my body trying to tell me?” 🤷‍♀️

I want to be a writer; to translate my pain into flowery words. I want to be a writer—a good one, able to bloom petals in her wounds.