Optimism From Autistic Women

[Judge]

I liked this video. Some interesting comments and viewpoints.

"Autistic people are like a canary in a coalmine." Brilliant...

 

[Slim Jim]

They all seemed very sweet, kind, not to mention bright and confident. They're right, people may not believe them, as they seem so well adjusted, well spoken. But of course , we all know the internal pressure to fit in. It's hard for people to see past the surface. The superficial. Those psychological pressures are unseen.

 

[Darkkin]

I have an MFA. I have a job I love. And my autism has been a driving force in where I am today.

Growing up, I know I was lucky to avoid bullying. My classmates were not entirely dreadful. As a whole, they were a pretty good group.

I've also been immensely comfortable in my own company my entire life. I know I'm lucky in a lot of arenas and I don't take that for granted.

I also know that I can mask well enough to pass for an NT, a very nerdy NT, but an NT nonetheless. The double empathy paradox plays a huge role in this ability. It helps one read the unspoken context of a situation and allows one to adjust one's guise accordingly. The quiet girl with the book, no one looks at you twice. You are not perceived as a threat.

This book came out a couple years ago, but it is one of the first to truly look at how autism presents in females. It is a very informative and insightful read.

One thing it takes a hard look at is the sundry of terms that have been applied to autistic women. From Highly Sensitive Person, quirky, high strung, dramatic, twice gifted, indigo child, starseed, old soul, etc...

Autism in females is treated as almost an esoteric trait because a decent portion of the time above average intelligence is involved. Hyperlexia is common.

 

[Crossbreed]

I also know that I can mask well enough to pass for an NT, a very nerdy NT, but an NT nonetheless.

In a previous thread, I shortened "neurodiverse" to "neur-D..."