Is anybody else kind of sceptical of this concept? If you “mask so well” you have a good understanding of social cues and tones and how you’re supposed to react and literally can’t stop yourself from doing all that… maybe you’re not autistic??

I guess I just don’t get how that person would still be considered to have the deficits needed for an autism diagnosis. Maybe it’s an imperfect mask and an evaluator can still see through it because it’s their job to diagnose autism. I would get that. I’m not immediately obviously autistic but the evaluator still saw it because he’s trained to recognise people who are cognitively processing how they’re supposed to respond to stuff instead of just being able to know and do it.

And just because people don’t know you’re autistic per se doesn’t mean you don’t have social issues. Those traits are still noticeable and still impact you, even if people mostly just think you’re a little awkward at times. I don’t get how somebody could mask so perfectly and understand social cues and not even be capable of stopping because they like doing it and don’t find it exhausting could possibly meet the diagnostic criteria

Hi everyone I wrote a book about my journey if anyone is interested I have it on Amazon, https://a.co/d/fcwAzqg let me know if you think the price is ok?

Sorry if this is not allowed I could not find rules just kindly let me know and I can remove.

Autism is a different way of experiencing the world, and it adds something special to our shared reality. For World Autism Awareness Month, I want to acknowledge the wide variety of voices and experiences within the autism community. True understanding and inclusion come from listening to real stories.

I know firsthand how challenging it can be to speak up, especially when there’s so much stigma around autism. It can feel heavy, and I don’t share this easily. But over time, I have realized that my voice and perspective are valuable, not something to hide. This is because they are strengths, not weaknesses.

This year, I’m choosing to share my story. My article, Breaking the Silence: 33 Years of Autism, Advocacy, and Acceptance, is now available on Medium and Substack. This is just the start of a bigger project—a full-length book that will go deeper into my life, the struggles I’ve faced, and the lessons I have learned along the way.

I hope my words can connect with others who have had similar experiences, start meaningful conversations, and help increase understanding. Autism is not just a diagnosis—it is a way of life that is often misunderstood. Let’s keep breaking the silence together.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting this cause!

https://medium.com/@bdtighe/breaking-the-silence-33-years-of-autism-advocacy-and-acceptance-85134df6ad77

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/03/31/education-department-trump-executive-order-letters/

My allistic family sometimes asks why I never hang out with friends and it's just not something I'm into. I'd rather obsess over David Bowie in my bedroom. I do like to travel but when I grow up I will just travel on my own. I just don't like all of the rules and compromises that come with hanging out with a friend so I prefer to be alone. Because of this, I made a couple of memes about this issue. I'm a senior who will leave high school soon anyways.

Sometimes I’ll go on social media and I’ll see a post like “What’s your tism meal” and they just show chicken nuggets and french fries, and then when someone calls this out people in the comments who claim to have autism defend this.

Every time I see that “tism creature” i get angry. Ppl think autism is just “YIPPEE!!!” “I’m so autism!” And for some reason it seems nobody actually goes against this behaviour and it is normalized. Why is it so normalized. Why do ppl post things like “here’s a stimboard of pink crunchy items” am I the only one who finds this weird

I process the world analytically. I value clarity over comfort. I ask direct questions and expect direct answers. I don’t seek validation — I seek understanding.
After being diagnosed, I assumed that in autistic spaces, I’d meet people who think in a similar way — people who care about logic, precision, and meaning. I figured this was an autistic trait, and maybe I could finally connect with people who think along the same lines.

But when I engage in these spaces, I keep seeing the same pattern.

I try to approach things logically and critically. I point out reasoning errors. I push back on traits that aren’t uniquely autistic. I explain why someone’s struggles could be caused by many different things — not necessarily autism. None of that is personal. It’s about clarity and accuracy — because if everything is “autistic,” then the label loses meaning.

But instead of counterarguments, I get emotional pushback. I’m told I’m “invalidating,” “gatekeeping,” “aggressive,” or “rude.” I’m told I should “just let people share their truth,” or “mind my own business.” That it’s not my place to ask how someone’s story connects to autism.

The problem is: none of these responses actually engage with what I said. They don’t explain, clarify, or add nuance. They just shut down the conversation — usually with moral undertones, as if thinking critically is somehow harmful.

And honestly? I don’t understand the need for validation from strangers on Reddit — or the instinct to protect your worldview from even basic scrutiny.
I’m not here to be affirmed. I’m here to make sense of things.
Why should I care if someone agrees with me, if they can’t explain why?

This kind of defensiveness shuts down exactly the kind of conversations that could help people who are still trying to understand themselves.

If “autism can look like anything,” but no one is allowed to ask how or why, then the word loses its meaning — and that helps no one.

I’m not posting this to find like-minded people. I’m posting this because more autistic people who value clarity, critical thinking, and intellectual honesty need to speak up — especially in larger autism communities where that voice is often drowned out.

I genuinely think it’s the only way to keep things meaningful.

But I’m open to hearing how others see this — as long as we can actually talk about it.

Hi, I don’t feel like I can talk to anyone in real life about this so I’m posting it here. I feel like there’s an idea that as an autistic person I should get along with most other autistic people. And while I do get along easier with someone when I relate to them, I know a few autistic people whom I find really annoying, and sometimes because of their autistic traits. This makes me feel weird, like I have no empathy towards my own community. For example: when a person I know is very stressed because their routine got messed up, even though I can relate, I get pretty annoyed at them. I think the annoyance is more about how they express their stress, how they might take it out on others, but I still feel bad. I feel I should be more understanding because I literally understand what they’re feeling. But I just have a hard time. Can anyone relate?

I was diagnosed with level 1 autism 7 months ago almost 32 years old and I definitely have issues with processing speed transitions attention switching and a couple other things if anyone has any similar issues or experiences

do anyone else have a hard time w accepting their reality that they are permanently unable to change the fact that they are severely disabled

and will most likely end up institutionalized living in assisted living or supportive living and unable to have a family woej work have a job have a wife or kids or anything

feel like q a kid a little kid forever and be unable to have a normal life?

i ruminate on this alot

i always thought id bw be able to do stuff my peers do but nope not even close even the level 2 or others i know IRL they have more promise with life than me

i feel like my life is just its scare me im scared and i just want all these opportuniy i see every one else has but i never get it and i have no clue how ppl do all these things and i feel so so so far behind everyone.

amd and i got this fellowship but I have been silenced for 12+ days cause i called out someone who was faking being hsn when they function like a allistics and had full time job independent fully social no communcate issues no disability. its just is so upsetting and

to be truthful i am terrified of myy life and of my future.

i wish i could just poof out of existence before life gets worse. im not suicidal either im just scaredv of life.

...It might not be a fucking duck. Autism is not a duck. Autism is a mental disability and it's hard to recognise as is. Conditions are complex. Ducks are ducks. You can see ducks because ducks are animals, very common animals in fact. Autism has a variety of factors, and as far as I know is rarer and more complicated than ducks.

It doesn't work that way with mental health and psychiatry. This goes for any condition. Today, if you're emotionally unstable and obsessive with a fear of abandonment, you have BPD! Doesn't matter how old you are or what causes your symptoms, you just do now because the unqualified internet rando said so, right?

You have even the slightest autistic symptom? Go advocate for your diagnosis, girl! Oh, shut the fuck up. It is not a duck and never will be a duck. Autistic symptoms are common in everyone. The extent to which they disable you and how many you have is the indicators. If you GENUINELY think you have autism, go try get a fucking diagnosis instead of sitting on your ass and watching TikToks about it, because the mental health system is NOT as discriminatory as you make it out to be. We have more information on autism now and it's easier to identify now that we understand masking.

You're an American and it costs money? Too bad, because self diagnosis is still bad! You still aren't a professional no matter how little money you have.

You are allowed to suspect. You are not allowed to diagnose.

I've started going to a new social group for autistic adults. I already go to one but it's in another town where I used to live before, so it's a bit far to travel now so I thought I'd try this one as it is closer to home.

The problem is it's like other groups I've tried - the people there are mostly Level 1, let's say, or are they actually autistic at all?? Certainly, you can't tell with most of them by talking to them. It makes me feel kind of excluded because I don't really relate to them. Both times we've had to do an activity and it basically went over my head, I didn't really get what I was supposed to be doing. I think any activity should be something everyone can join in with on some level at least. I only met one guy I would say was my level. Most of them have children and careers, or have had in the past.

It just makes me feel cross and frustrated. This group is supposed to be for autistic people. If I can't fit in there where can I? I don't know how to find a group that's more for people with higher support needs, for example, because would it be advertised like that - could you even have a group only for Level2/3 or higher support needs people? Or would someone say that was excluding people?

Has anyone had any experience of this or found a group that is more for higher support needs in their area?

I just wanted to encourage those of you who may lurk instead of posting, or post infrequently. It’s so nice to be around people who aren’t…well. Delusional to the exclusion of logic. Thank you.

I think a lot of us here struggle with making friends so that wouldn’t be surprising. But I also really struggle making friends with other autistic people, especially when they’re around my age. I make friends better with adults much older than me, I don’t know why. Making friends my age is so overwhelming and sometimes adults just take me in under their wing and talk to me and are nice to me and all that. I don’t know why people my age don’t do the same, I do the same for others so why can’t they do it too

Rant over sorry

If you don't fit the critera you don't fit the criteria. What is his problem, genuinely? Yeah. Something IS fundamentally wrong with you if you want a diagnosis of a life-altering disability. Bit of an overreaction there, mate. 😑

(Wasn't sure what to flair it with)

Is it just me or is the online autism community becoming more and more absorbed by the trans community?

Before anyone tries to say it, NO I don't have a problem with trans people.

But lately it seems like autism and trans are being considered as one and the same in many communities. I'm not trans and this doesn't represent me, so it does alienate me from a community that I can't really relate to.

Is this just something I'm seeing? Maybe my feeds are coincidentally showing a disproportionate amount of things that associate the two? Or is this a trend?

Okay not my video but Morgan Foley. I was watching this and somehow I believe this is true. What are your thoughts? Were you the HSN “pet project?”

This was in my therapist's office. Obviously questioning if you have autism is fine, as long as you don't say you definitely have it without a diagnosis.

The part that rubs me up the wrong way is that this flyer seems to be equating questioning with definitely being an undiagnosed autistic. It talks about unmasking and being free to be yourself as if these are things you must automatically need, because obviously you're clearly autistic, whether you're questioning/undiagnosed or not.

Thoughts?

They shared a YouTube video with me and I was like, "oh I'll watch this, this seems relevant to things today"

I had no idea, though, about how bad tiktok is with this stuff... Literally fully TD people on there saying they're autistic and then gatekeeping!? Like wtf this is insane! Isn't this illegal somehow?

I was sitting here thinking it was just a few people here or there that maybe they were just a little confused about the criteria, but apparently there is an entire movement of people today trying to erase autism as a diagnosis like what the literal duck!? I'm so mad to learn about this!

Anyway, thank you for sharing that video with me, whoever you are (it was in this sub so, I'm sure you'll know who you are).

The video: https://youtu.be/p0fhHcehc3Y?si=RoHaOwT0RjPhvvMD

Hi! I have made a post like this before but that was a while ago and I would love to make more autistic friends! I have been told by therapists that having people around who understand autism may be helpful. So if you’d like to be friends, please reach out and I will share my discord!

A little about me: I am 22F and live at home with my parents, though I am working towards moving out. Iam from the USA. I have level 1 autism and use AAC part time. I love Star Wars, movies, dancing (ballet), my dog, singing, music, and languages (French and ASL right now).

I am an online French teacher to middle and high schoolers and I am almost done with my Associates’ degree. I am looking for another job so I can make enough money to move out, but I haven’t found one yet.

"Please don't say that autistic people are people with autism. That word choice is so offensive."

I also am a person with brown hair and I'm a person with OCD. Can we PLEASE stop turning disorders into identity politics?

Also, the term "neurodivergent" feels like a professional way of calling me special. Cut the crap, I am NOT divergent. I am a genuinely disabled person who struggles to survive. Am I neurodisabled? Yes. Divergent? No, I only use that word to appease people irl.

"The criteria for an autism diagnosis is for little white boys."

While yes, I'm white, I'm also non-binary and was born female. I was legitimately diagnosed at 4 years old. I'm pretty sure the criteria have improved since then.

Yes, racial discrimination from doctors certainly exists, but the criteria itself is pretty much the same regardless of race.

Hi, after reading too many posts in other subreddits about how much they hate the puzzle piece, Autism Speaks and how they want to change the name of the Autism Day, I'd like to share it will all of you. Because this is the only normal autism community around here.

We all know the harm Autism Speaks has done in the past. That's undeniable. But the way people keep complaining everyday, policing others about the puzzle piece, the "with autism vs autistic" argument...It gets exhausting. And honestly, it makes them seem annoying.

There's also the misinformation, which I absolutely hate. Misinformation is too common in the mainstream communities, and instead of doing the research by themselves they just start hating or supporting something because they were told to. Like the self-diagnosis, they believe more in what they read in a random reddit comment than scientific papers.

There's more harmful organizations out there, and not only in the USA. But they only complain about the same one over and over again. It gets to the point they don't even believe the things they defend or attack, they just repeat what others have said.

Countless of posts all day of people complaining about the same thing, flooding every subreddit. It happened yesterday because it was April's Fools in the USA, and today with the Autism Awareness Day. If only they could comment on those posts instead of creating the 100th post of the day saying the same thing.

I'm not trying to deny the harm Autism Speaks has done. I'm just exhausted of the mainstream online communities being a hive mind and trying to policy others. For me, the puzzle piece means "finding" instead of "missing". The way they personally see at it also matters, and I suspect some of them started to have negative thoughts towards it because they were told so.

It feels instead of actually spreading awareness, they did the opposite.