This Autism Awareness Month… be aware of … me?

It’s autism awareness month. Please be aware … of me?

Autistic people are as common as redheads and green eyes. Rare, but not as rare as you may think. Also, autism runs in families and people self select social circles, so when know one autistic person, you probably know a few…

Autistic people are actually often more different from one another than allistic (nonautistic) people. It is an imprecise label still that means “not like most of you” more than a consistent idea of what we are all like. Just that the majority of people think our brains do things wrong. Or if they are more empathetic, that our brains do things in statistically anomalous ways.

So please be aware of us.

Be aware that formal diagnosis is far less common than autism.

Be aware that for every stereotype there is an equal and opposite paradox. Autistics cannot drive; autistics are massively overrepresented in the long haul trucking industry. Autistics struggle with language; autistics are surprisingly common speech and language pathologists and news readers and polyglots. Autistics are disproportionately high school drop outs and college professors. Autistics don’t have a sense of humour and are some of the world’s best comedians. Autistics lack empathy? We are disproportionately represented in helping professions like therapists and counsellors and clergy.

Be aware that we literally see, hear, smell, and feel things most other people do…