#Thread

Things that made me think I couldn’t possible be autistic...

...until I got my autism diagnosis at the age of 58.

#ActuallyAutistic
#LateDiagnosis
#AllAutistics
1/

I met all of my childhood developmental milestones.

I didn’t struggle with academic work at school.

And I’m autistic.

2/

I like vivid colour and bold statements.

I don’t like beige or subtle flavours.

And I’m autistic.

3/

I’ve had many relationships and two happy marriages.

I fall in love easily.

And I’m autistic.

4/

I love novelty, challenge and doing things differently.

I avoid routine because I find it restrictive.

And I’m autistic.

5/

I have an affinity with language and I am articulate.

I enjoy public speaking and job interviews.

And I’m autistic.

6/

I’ve been in education or work all my life.

I’ve held responsible roles and achieved quite a lot.

And I’m autistic.

7/

I passed my standard and police driving tests first time.

Driving is one of my hobbies as well as being a practical skill.

And I’m autistic.

8/

I enjoy going to live comedy shows and watching comedy films and TV.

I find humour in lots of things.

And I’m autistic.

9/

I am naturally expressive and joyful.

I get excited by nature, literature, science, music, art and film.

And I’m autistic.

10/

I have deep empathy for other people and a sense of connection to them.

Human suffering of any kind has a profound effect on me.

And I’m autistic.

11/

I’m more of a generalist than a specialist.

My interests are varied, they come and go over time.

And I’m autistic.

12/

I can see both sides of an argument.

I don’t like adopting a rigid position; I’m open to change.

And I’m autistic.

13/

I have good intuition and judgement.

I make sound assessments of situations.

And I’m autistic.

14/

I’m a political and social activist.

I stand by my values even if it is dangerous to do so.

And I’m autistic.

15/

I’ve been conditioned by ableist perspectives.

I reject the dominant narrative on autism.

And I’m autistic.

16/

I did not recognise myself in formal diagnostic criteria for autism.

I saw myself in the first hand accounts of other autistic people.

And I’m autistic.

17/

I sometimes doubt I’m autistic if I read the medical literature.

But I don’t doubt it when I read what other autistic people write.

And I’m autistic.

18/

Being autistic isn’t what most people think it is.

The way it’s portrayed in films and on TV is often caricatured.

No wonder we struggle to recognise ourselves.

And I’m autistic.

19/

Getting an autism diagnosis opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

But it carries a risk of being subject to prejudice and discrimination.

I’m the same person I’ve always been.

And I’m autistic.

#AllAutistics
#HumanRights
#AutisticRights

20/ end