Remember being a kid? Pressured to make friends… with everybody?
We. Don’t. Have. To Do. That… Not anymore. We can enjoy social media any which way we freaking please. With people who please us…
🚨Content note: profanity, bullying, …
I call this one, “How To Be Strong, Fearless & Actually Autistic… Online.” Cuz that’s what I wanna be.
Hey, do you feel safe on social media… openly autistic?
Hate speech. Bigotry. Cyberbullyies… Then facing your inbox. Scams. Creepy strangers “contacting” you…
For what? So we can kayak the white waters of stone-cold, ableist judgment. And its kissing cousin… humbug condescension.
Cuz folks “just wanna help.”
It DOESN’t have to be this way. We can build our own village. Folks we like to hang with. And who like to hang with us.
Choosing to not please everybody is a fearless act. And it hasn’t shrunk my world.
I’m in a great Facebook conversation. With an autistic Trump supporter… who’s making me think.
Love it.
NOT how it usually goes. The insults, mockery… and ultimate weapon…
BLOCKING.
But with this friend? She knows I’m a socialist. I know she’s Libertarian. But we trust each other not to cause pain. Rare for me…
See, like some autists, I’m not great at back-and-forth.
I can hurt feelings. Or come across like a know-it-all. Last thing I want. I love people. And grok the pain condescension inflicts… firsthand.
So… I don’t try to convert anybody. To anything. Not online. Not in real life.
When I encounter hostility? Rivalry? I choose to not escalate. I choose the least hurtful path for me… and others.
I walk away.
Unfriend, mute, block… whatever it takes. And put my energy into finding friends.
No law demands we please 8 billion people.
Or prove anything.
Meet any standard.
Represent any movement.
Agree with anyone…
Not even another autist.
Remember being a kid? Pressured to make friends… with everybody?
We. Don’t. Have. To Do. That… Not anymore.
We can enjoy social media any which way we freaking please. With people who please us…
Cuz that perfect meme EVERYbody likes and shares? Never gonna change the planet. Maybe honest friendship will.
Further Reading
“Using Social Media on the Autism Spectrum”
https://psychcentral.com/autism/using-social-media-on-the-autism-spectrum#social-media-drawbacks
Coming soon as an AutisticAF.me podcast & YouTube segment.
BTW, I have a new episode out to launch Season 3, “Love, Politics & Faking Normal: 3 New Autistic Myths s03e01.” Text/transcript, audio, and captioned video.
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Authentic Autistic Life: 4 Short Stories Fearless, Joyful and Chaotic, s3e2 – #AutisticAF Out Loud
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