• Cass.Forest@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    You missed the stage where you don’t want to openly identify as autistic because of the stigma surrounding both autism itself as well as self-diagnosis

    • BOMBS@lemmy.worldOPM
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      1 year ago

      I’m just entering that stage after a seeing how some of my friends have started treating me once I told them. With these friends in particular, now everything I do is somehow an autism conversation starter.

      • Example 1

      Me: I spent last learning about abiogenesis. Have you guys looked into that?

      Them: omg, that’s so autistic

      • Example 2

      Me: I cut it off with the [autistic] girl I was dating. She had some red flags that really turned me away.

      Them: Okay, so you’re both, which means you guys have communication deficits.

      It’s like I stopped being me with personal characteristics, preferences, and interests. Now, I’m an autism case without any individuality outside of autistic traits. Also, to them, I’m not autistic. I have autism. This has really strained the relationship to the point that I don’t really desire to spend anytime with them. It’s sad, because I’ve known them for over 5 years, and up’til now, they had been pretty cool.