In class, a visiting professor asks if we are willing to introduce ourselves. I flap (of course I flap, this is me, flapping is what I do.) It's a happy flap. The professor, not knowing me, not knowing how my body language works and therefore interpreting my movements through the dominant ways, assumes I am upset, that I do not want to introduce myself, that there is some sort of problem.
That could have been a problem, but my classmates, my regular teachers, and I all know how to explain: I express posAutivity in my own Autistic way. We explained. It was actually relevant to the topic I'd wanted to bring up, how neurodiversity and cross-cultural communication totally relate, that we should be looking at cross-neurology communication in some of the same ways we look at cross-cultural communication because that's often what it is.
I'm waiting with classmates in a lobby, and the phone starts to ring. My hands go to my ears, and the blanket corner I was playing with goes to rest on my head. A friend notices, and suggests that we all wait outside instead. No, my communication is nothing like the neurotypical dominated standards, but they're clearly ones people can learn to understand if only they take the time to learn, to look at how I work instead of their ideas of how "people" work based in their own cultures.
When I allow myself to perseverate, when I dive right into my Autistic Obsessions, when I flap and rock and spend time with people who view my body language through the lens of how I work rather than their ideas of how people in general work, when I start typing just because it's easier instead of making myself keep making mouth-sounds until the mouth-sounds won't come any more, these are all expressing myself my way.
I am Autistic, and I am proud. I will express my pride in my Autistic ways. [Would it really be taking pride in my Autistic self if I were only willing to express it in neurotypical-passing ways, even when those ways were in opposition to my natural Autistic ways? I think not.]
That could have been a problem, but my classmates, my regular teachers, and I all know how to explain: I express posAutivity in my own Autistic way. We explained. It was actually relevant to the topic I'd wanted to bring up, how neurodiversity and cross-cultural communication totally relate, that we should be looking at cross-neurology communication in some of the same ways we look at cross-cultural communication because that's often what it is.
I'm waiting with classmates in a lobby, and the phone starts to ring. My hands go to my ears, and the blanket corner I was playing with goes to rest on my head. A friend notices, and suggests that we all wait outside instead. No, my communication is nothing like the neurotypical dominated standards, but they're clearly ones people can learn to understand if only they take the time to learn, to look at how I work instead of their ideas of how "people" work based in their own cultures.
When I allow myself to perseverate, when I dive right into my Autistic Obsessions, when I flap and rock and spend time with people who view my body language through the lens of how I work rather than their ideas of how people in general work, when I start typing just because it's easier instead of making myself keep making mouth-sounds until the mouth-sounds won't come any more, these are all expressing myself my way.
I am Autistic, and I am proud. I will express my pride in my Autistic ways. [Would it really be taking pride in my Autistic self if I were only willing to express it in neurotypical-passing ways, even when those ways were in opposition to my natural Autistic ways? I think not.]
It is wonderful that you have friends who are so supportive! Autistic and proud!
ReplyDeleteGood. Where I am on the spectrum is similar it appears. Autism got a weird rap when it was assumed that all Autie movements are distress oriented and therefore cause to "move away and ignore" the autistic person. So many of my movements and sounds are happy and excited related....Maybe it's really hard to see the difference. I tell others....I do wonder if it all looks the same to them...they all seem completely different and obvious to me....
ReplyDeleteI tried to email every single one of those listed about the torture going on @ JRC and all of it was returned to me saying that it appears SPAM was sent by my address to theirs....
ReplyDeleteOur emails to them are marked as spam....