Considering how close Christmas is, I wanted to post something Christmas related, but I couldn’t think of anything. Maybe I’ll think of something for next week. I’ll talk about something else today.
A few months ago, I went to see a therapist and I was diagnosed with autism. Of course, the first people who found out were my closest family. My mom and aunt said they would support me and help me however they can. My brother didn’t react; just like me, he probably already suspected that I have it. My dad said autism was my superpower. Now that I think about it, I’d probably be immune to telepathy. I can’t even understand my own mind, what chance would a telepath have?
All jokes aside, those were all pretty standard reactions. One of the more interesting ones was when I told a friend from college. He told me that, when I apply for a job, I should tell my superiors that I’m autistic. They’ll get angry if I keep it a secret. Not gonna lie, I was a bit annoyed when he told me that. It’s one thing to reveal my autism to my friends, family or fans. It’s another thing to reveal it to a complete stranger, especially one that has power over me. What if they believe some dumb stereotype about autism and they don’t accept me?
I explained my worries to my friend, but he still insisted that I tell them as soon as I can. The most baffling thing about all of this is that my friend has cerebral palsy; he doesn’t need a wheelchair or a cane, but he does walk more clumsily than the average person. He’s more disabled than I am, shouldn’t he know what it’s like? When I asked him that, he admitted that he sometimes worries about how other people will see him, but he still didn’t change his mind. I don’t know, I guess he has that mindset because, unlike me, it’s impossible to for him to hide his disability. He can’t walk like an able-bodied person. I don’t fully follow his advice. When I go to a job interview, I’ll tell the interviewer that I have autism only when it comes up naturally in a conversation.
Another interesting reaction was from my grandpa. At first I wanted to tell him, but my mom and aunt told me not to; he would start lecturing them if I did. Obviously, that doesn’t check out. I was born autistic; my mom and aunt didn’t do anything to make me that way. Then again, my grandpa is from a different time, so it makes sense that his view of autism would be outdated. I was ready to deal with his ignorance, but I kept my mouth shut for the sake of my mom and aunt. After a few weeks, my mom and aunt told me that I could tell him. Once I finally did, he said that he already knew. I thought, “What do you mean, you already knew? I only talk to you once a week.” I was a little annoyed, but I kept it to myself. I’m not petty enough to start a fight over it. I am petty enough to complain about it on the internet, though.
And that’s all I have to say for today. I’m sure I’ll have more interesting interactions in the future. I suppose one of the upsides of not understanding people is that you’re never bored by them.