Press space, or use the arrow keys to go through the images. (Or click/tap if you're on mobile.) -------------------------------------------------- This is a really important message that I want to share: Autism is not a joke or an insult. Calling something/someone autistic has very similar issues to calling things “gay” (in a derogatory way). Being gay is not an insult, and being autistic is also not an insult. Autism is not a negative thing, it’s neutral. Using the word “autistic” as a derogatory term is extremely offensive, rude, hurtful, and ableist. I’ve heard lots of people share their experiences of people joking about autism, or using it as an insult, and that’s not ok. <~Something from me~> I have ADHD(mixed type) and Level 1 Autism. We found out before my birthday on June 30th, 2025. It explained a lot about things I do, my noise sensitivity, my dislike of touch(hugs, cuddles, ect). Me and my family are learning together about it. I haven't had anyone joke about it, yet, and hopefully never. I view the world in a very different way, like I'm not from Earth or something. I have sound canceling headphones for the noise. I deal with ADHD, and Autism, but it's who I am. I know some other people, online, or in real life with Autism. So if you joke about it around me, not only are you being rude to me, but my friends, my family, and online users with it. I won't stand for it, so please don't joke about it. People with Autism are people, just viewing the world differently. (Written by me)
Autism isn’t something to be ashamed of, it’s something to be proud of. It’s a beautiful part of diversity that shouldn’t be changed. Autism is part of who I am, and I love it (even though sometimes I don’t feel like I do). Being autistic lets me see the world in an entirely different way than most people, which can sometimes be challenging, but it can also be amazing. If you hear someone joking about autism or using it as an insult, stand up to them and tell them that it’s not ok to do that. I know it can be hard to stand up to people, I’ve always struggled with that, especially figuring out what to say. So here’s a line to use when you hear anyone say something that you think isn’t ok: “Hey, I think what you just said is actually offensive.” I know that having a preplanned line won’t necessarily help everyone, but if it helps some people, that’s great! I also want to mention people getting offended when asked if they’re autistic, or even just assume people think they’re autistic (like when they’re invited to an autism related studio). I’m using “gay” as a comparison, but it works really well for this. Sometimes people get offended when you ask them if they’re gay, usually because they have a little bit of subconscious homophobia. They see being gay negatively, possibly without even realizing they feel that way. The same thing applies to autism. If someone gets offended by being assumed to be autistic, they may have some subconscious ableism, or stigma about autism. It’s important to remember that autism isn’t negative, it’s not an insult. Autism is just a differently wired brain. Being gay isn’t bad, being autistic isn’t bad, being disabled isn’t bad. These are all neutral things. (Rest is written by along with art and code)
