I suggest reading these articles first:
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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…
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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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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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The Autistic And Allistic Minds As Gardens
An allegory that might explain why some people discover their autism late in life. Imagine the mind, as a garden. In this garden there are all kinds of plants. In this garden, some gardeners keep the paths open. They prune this tree, and that bush, to make sure things don’t get out of hand. In…
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Am I More Autistic Than I Used To Be?
For people who used to mask, the realization that they are autistic may make them appear more autistic to the world. The answer is “no,” you are not more autistic than you used to be. As I’ve taken pains to explain with my garden allegory, we are autistic from birth. Those who mask are able…
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On The Importance Of Teaching Neurodivergence
In my view, it would allow us to handle better the friction that occurs when meshing different communication styles. As I was writing about the sources of friction between my ex-wife and I, it occurred to me that knowing about neurodivergence would have been extremely useful to us. It is unclear whether it would have…