Category: Article
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I Like Repetition
There are multiple ways in which repetition is a feature of my life. Society tells us that repetition is a bad thing. Then again, society is dominated by neurotypical people. I’m neurodivergent, autistic, and thus my relationship with repetition is more complex than what society tells us. My choice of clothing shows a desire for…
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Stimming
I’ve stimmed all my life, but its manifestation has changed over time. As I reflect on earlier episodes in my life, I realize that a lot of the symptoms associated with autism were present in me, but masked. I’ve stimmed way before my cancer weakened my ability to mask, but I did not know what…
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Why Saying “Everybody Is A Little Autistic” Is Harmful
I’ll explain why this saying and its siblings are harmful to actually autistic people. I was talking with someone recently, asserting that I was actually autistic. His reply was that we’re all neurodiverse. In other words, my case is not special at all, and I should just shut up. The claim that we’re all neurodiverse…
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Why I Don’t Seek Formal Diagnosis
It is likely to end up being pointless in the USA. Once in a while I run into someone who insists that I should get a formal diagnosis. If you live in the USA, this is often a futile, frustrating, and expensive endeavor. It is not worth it if you are unlikely to get accommodations.…
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My Autistic Life: The Realization
I’m just realizing at the age of 50 that I’m autistic, and I’m now looking again at earlier events in my life with a new perspective. It is only since March 2023 that I’ve seriously entertained the notion that I’m autistic. Earlier in life, there were some moments where I thought I might be, but…