Autism Community on Twitter
I want to celebrate that I’ve reached 50 followers on Twitter. I know it’s a small number for many people, but it’s encouraging to me that there are people on twitter who want to have compassionate, honest conversations about the ups and downs of living on the Autism Spectrum.
Twitter is amazing because it’s anonymous. I know, wait, you think that brings out the trolls and haters. But really, it’s also freeing. Someone who is on the spectrum and who wants to talk about issues without their parents or family members breathing down their neck can find the space to do that. On Facebook, where everything is legally and determinedly associated with REAL NAMES, that luxury doesn’t exist.
Also, it’s able to connect people from around the world who share similar views. Autism is a spectrum. I know people who are non-verbal and people who are TED talk lecturers. I know people who are petrified introverts and people who are incredibly gregarious. There’s no “one type” of autistic person and that beautiful diversity is in full force on Twitter. It helps to demonstrate clearly that the spectrum is wide.
But, back to the trolls. There are definitely trolls. I’ve seen people say with all seriousness that people with autism should all be castrated so the defective genes can’t be passed down. The term “incel” refers to men who feel they are involuntarily celibate due to the evil plans of women who refuse to sleep with them. I.e. it’s the women’s fault for not hopping into bed with them and doing whatever they want. Now, others argue that those incels must be autistic and therefore no sane woman would ever want to sleep with them. It just adds chaos on top of chaos.
Still, I figure that prejudiced people always existed. The more we can share the voices of people on the spectrum, the more they seem less foreign. The more they seem like members of our community who have their own traits and views.
I feel that’s a good thing.
The cookie-number images were purchased by me from DepositPhotos / artist erierika