Forgot to mention/CW: negative representations of autistic traits (stimming, hyperfocusing, fantasy/escapism in particular) that aren't *inherently* negative; if anything they can be a positive part of an autistic person's life, depending

This is widely known in the Autistic community. i'm not saying this to negate what he's talking about, which is about coping mechanisms (including masking), though

More info on this

https://musingsofanaspie.com/2013/01/03/the-high-cost-of-self-censoring-or-why-stimming-is-a-good-thing/

Another article, this time about interests

https://awnnetwork.org/our-interests-are-ours/

@shoutcacophony this is a fantastic article. It's amazing how the majority (or all?) of us seem to have had to hide/be massively ashamed of our interests in front of non-autistic audiences. I forget how much I had to lie/pretend to be embarrassed when people asked me if I was still interested in *some thing* when I was a child/teen...

Some things never change I guess :/

@OsirisSaline right. i was shamed into giving up various interests (child/teen), or encouraged in one direction instead of another in ways that weren't really encouragement as much as soft coercion/manipulation (early 20s)

@shoutcacophony

So healing. I just realised that in many cases I interest-shame myself to this day. 😧
Well, at least I'm aware now.

@kafkaesqueNomad same here. i'm processing a lot.

@shoutcacophony

A whole lot. I can't remotely keep up with you.

Remember to take breaks! 😅

@kafkaesqueNomad You mean, "sleep"? 😅 (and yes, I am)

@shoutcacophony

Yes, that, for example. 😜

And I'm glad. It's really good to have you on my timeline and mentions, also apart from the helpful things you share.

@kafkaesqueNomad thanks! likewise :)

Here's the one I was thinking about at first, it's about hand flapping

Why Do So Many Autistic People Flap Our Hands?

http://unstrangemind.com/why-do-so-many-autistic-people-flap-our-hands/

More on hand flapping, and stimming in general

A Cognitive Defense of Stimming (or why “Quiet Hands” Makes Math Harder)

https://musingsofanaspie.com/2013/06/18/a-cognitive-defense-of-stimming-or-why-quiet-hands-makes-math-harder/

from the end of the article: "**** I’ve used children as an example throughout this piece, but everything here applies to autistic adults as well."

(this tripped me up for years. "i'm not flapping my hands. *taps fingers, paces, bounces foot, fidgets*" it'd come out when i was performing, though. "why do you do that thing with your hands? "i don't know. i play violin, maybe? dunno.")

@shoutcacophony And this is why repression of stims, enforced by bad therapies, doesn’t just sentimentally cause despair, but threatens deep injury to the basic quality of life of autistic people in their future. It’s so hard to relearn *not* to not stim when the opposite is beaten into one.

None of this is particularly difficult in concept, and yet it’s still sadly so revolutionary. Thanks!