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Autistic Empath
Insights from life on the spectrum
  • Myths and Misconceptions
  • Coping
  • Living in the NT World
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Category: Myths and Misconceptions

A balding man with a cross of black tape over his mouth, looking helpless
Autistic Adulthood, Myths and Misconceptions

On Being Semi-Verbal

January 7, 2021

I want to clear something up today.  Lots of people draw distinctions between speaking and non-speaking autistics, as if that matters.  And the people who make these distinctions don’t seem to realize that it’s not as simple as “verbal” vs. “non-verbal”.  Like so much of […]

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Black and white picture of a boy singing loudly into a microphone.
Advocacy, Autistic Adulthood, Coping, Myths and Misconceptions

Verbal Stims

December 3, 2020

Autistic people stim in lots of ways – we jump, rock, use weighted blankets, touch favorite textures, etc.  One of my favorite ways to stim is verbally.  I like playing with words, with the sounds of them and the feel of them in my mouth, […]

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A bookshelf stuffed with books as well as a television screen and a plant.
Autistic Adulthood, Life Hacks, Myths and Misconceptions

Speaking in Quotes is Real Communication

November 19, 2020

I speak in movie quotes, tv references, and lines out of books and plays.  Honestly, it’s one of my biggest obstacles to clear communication because the lines I reference can be kind of obscure, but when I find people who get it, I know we’ll […]

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A child wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, a Darth Vader helmet, and a black towel wrapped around their neck as a cape, with their left hand outstretched.
Autistic Adulthood, Coping, Myths and Misconceptions

Do Autistic Children Play Pretend?

October 1, 2020

There’s a troublesome stereotype that says autistic children don’t play “correctly”.  It’s even considered a diagnostic item in some circles.  This is usually meant to say that autistic children will line up their toys instead of playing with them “the right way” – like playing […]

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A dark haired woman in a purple tshirt sits looking at her laptop looking overwhelmed. Behind and around her are drawings of family and social interactions, social media, and other things she is thinking about
Advocacy, Autistic Adulthood, Living in the NT World, Myths and Misconceptions

Don’t Call Me “High-Functioning”

August 6, 2020

I don’t use functioning labels.  They only serve to withhold support from those designated “high-functioning” and limit the possibilities available to those deemed “low-functioning”.  They’re crap, so I don’t use them here.  I prefer using support needs if the distinction is necessary: low support needs […]

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Breakdown of a Meltdown
Autistic Adulthood, Coping, Myths and Misconceptions

Breakdown of a Meltdown

April 30, 2020

I’ve talked before about meltdowns – what they are and how to survive them – but I’ve seen several places in online groups where people ask what a meltdown feels like, how it happens, what it’s like to go through one.  So today I’m going […]

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I am Proud to be autistic 2020
Advocacy, Autistic Adulthood, Executive Function Issues, Life Hacks, Living in the NT World, Myths and Misconceptions

I Am PROUD To Be Autistic

April 2, 2020

Today is Autistic and Neurodivergent Coming Out Day.  So I’m going to give you my story.  I am autistic.  I have always been autistic.  I did not become autistic when I got my diagnosis at 35, nor did I spend my adult life to that […]

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Autism in Media: Pixar's Loop
Advocacy, Myths and Misconceptions

Autism in Media: Pixar’s Loop

January 16, 2020

Pixar’s short film Loop has recently dropped on Disney Plus.  It’s a 9-minute story about two teenagers – one non-verbal autistic, one neurotypical – having to learn to communicate with one another. That’s the dry, plain description.  Now for my actual reaction. Omg, y’all!  I […]

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School Struggles Dyscalculia
Autistic Adulthood, Living in the NT World, Myths and Misconceptions

School Struggles: Dyscalculia

December 19, 2019

One of the common stereotypes of autistic people is the idea of the human calculator.  I blame Rain Man for a lot of this, but characters like Sheldon Cooper haven’t helped.  The truth is, we’re not all incredible at math.  In fact, some of us […]

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My Brain is a Stick Shift Transitions and Autism
Autistic Adulthood, Coping, Living in the NT World, Myths and Misconceptions

My Brain Is a Stick Shift: Transitions and Autism

December 12, 2019

One of the common stereotypes of autistic people is that we don’t cope well with change.  We require routine, we’re incapable of spontaneity, we always need to know everything that’s going to happen and nothing must deviate from our plans lest it cause a meltdown […]

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