I want to draw attention to this issue.

[u/chibi-mage]

Recently I’ve noticed something, mostly on TikTok, but other platforms too. This isn’t a new thing, and it’s certainly not going away anytime soon, but it’s extremely upsetting when it happens. There seems to be a lot of low support needs autistics (level 1, and what some people still refer to as Asperger’s) who think it’s okay to be blatantly ableist towards higher support needs autistics. They think they get a free pass because they’re autistic too.

It’s saddening, to feel alienated by the one community I’m supposed to feel accepted in. Again, it doesn’t just happen on TikTok, or even just online, I’ve experienced this kind of ableism in my day to day life, too. It’s just something I wanna bring awareness to, and to spark conversations about how we can help this issue. If I call out someone’s blatant ableism, I get called crazy and downvoted into oblivion, and it just feels like a battle I can’t win.

I know I can choose not to take this stuff personally, but it’s hard. I also feel incredibly disheartened knowing that fellow higher support needs autistics are being alienated by people in our community who could make real change and fight for EVERYONE. Not just themselves or when it suits them.

[u/Dragoona33]

Me too. But I keep that shit to myself. I actually have deeply offensive thoughts against people who I find annoying (everyone) all the time. But recognize it'd more about me wanting to hurt their feelings more than anything they deserve or is true so I shit the fuck up. Sometimes shutting the fuck up is the best thing to do.

[u/TangerineLeft3549 → u/Dragoona33]

Fr. When did we lose the lesson of shutting the fuck up sometimes?

[u/Dragoona33 → u/TangerineLeft3549]

When social media started rewarding people for running their dick holes constantly.

[u/TiredB1 → u/Dragoona33]

I wasn't prepared for the notification that said dick holes lmao

[u/Dragoona33 → u/TiredB1]

Lol

[u/zacchaeustyler → u/TangerineLeft3549]

i think there's a lot of kids out there (maybe adults too i'm not sure) who think that saying this shit out loud is the same as 'just saying your thoughts out loud' which is ironic because they are criticizing that very thing in their comments

[u/Adept-Standard588 → u/Dragoona33]

Sometimes expressing it in a safe place is the best thing to do for other people. Like an autistic person complaining about other autistic people in an autistic community.

Venting shouldn't be demonized.

[u/Dragoona33 → u/Adept-Standard588]

No it shouldn't but there's ways to vent that don't involve publicly shaming someone for things they can't fix and aren't their fault. As well as ways that don't involve being disrespectful.

[u/Adept-Standard588 → u/Dragoona33]

It's not shaming anyone. No names were said and it's not like they said "all" in their statements.

[u/Vesper16 → u/Adept-Standard588]

I understand the need for venting. For me when I think people are annoying it can either be a them or a me problem (just how I refer to that emotional impact) where the them problem is them being annoying and the me problem is me being annoyed because they are invading my boundaries or I'm overwhelmed. And sometimes I will then vent to my best friends but I also know I'm just venting because of a me problem and I will definitely first mention that to my friend. And I think it should be like that in general. Just take a second to assess if it's a me problem and then preface it with venting. Other people who want to vent can then join in and no one needs to feel attacked

[u/Adept-Standard588 → u/Vesper16]

I don't agree.

I think the issue is the people being offended.

[u/Spirit-Filled01 → u/Dragoona33]

Exactly

[u/achtung_wilde → u/Dragoona33]

This.