Throughout April, I really wanted to share the stories and experiences of other amazing people who raise awareness and have lived experience of autism. Today it is Autiblog!
People shouldn’t be afraid of the word autism. Words have negative connotations until we tenderly embrace them and feel them as an identity. Until we shout them out loud; until we print t-shirts and wear them proudly.
I am writing this piece in autism acceptance week/month. And maybe because of this, I feel so high on the energy we created online. The autistic community means everything to me. Many, many things have changed in this past year. Some of them were awful (corona, ehem...) while others were great on a personal level. People say autistics don’t like changes. However, I think that is not accurate, as we like to change for the better. This last year, I found my recent discovered autism identity, which was a huge change (both in magnitude and excellence). It brought along the sense of a vibrant community. Finally, somewhere where I belong, where I feel accepted. Those are enormous words for any person, but particularly for an autistic.
It was a long journey searching for my identity (three decades) and a bumpy one too. I often wonder about how would have been my life if I had an early diagnosis. But unfortunately, that seems a bumpy road too. Autism is stigmatized, and we face so much anger and rejection from society. And yet, it is a powerful word for those living in the spectrum. I am glad I found my tribe. I wish every autistic in the world could find us, and with fewer struggles than me. That is all I hope! Less stigma and earlier diagnoses. If we need to speak up about our diversity within the spectrum, we will. We are autistic, and we are not afraid of shouting our identities. This is my kinship, my tribe, my people. Love you all!
Thank you so much to Autiblog for sharing experiences of autism! Please follow Autiblog on Instagram @autiblog!
If you would be interested in having your story shared on my blog then please get in touch.
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