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.