A couple of weeks ago, in another place where I generally feel safe, someone made a scathing comment - not to me, or even about me - about "self-diagnosed autistics". Without a signed certificate, apparently we aren't worthy of the label.
I've been stewing about it ever since, and sometimes doubting myself. This morning I'm peeved. Who the hell is that person to make declarations about other people - including me?
@Zumbador @ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic
I imagine a psychatrist looking on notes making the statement:
You reported to have had a lot of gay sex and never had hetero sex. But you mentioned you kissed your friend Laura in kindrrgarten. So we came to the conclusion that you are actually not gay.
@ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic
Exactly! It's like doubting someone's really gay, or gay enough.
@ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic that's fair.
In my lifetime I have been called autistic by people... But I'm not. I have always known I'm not, but I let them classify me that way in their heads because it was less problematic. That has been verified by psychiatrists.
I am simply weird to most people. But people like explaining why in armchair psychology conversations.
So it definitely cuts both ways.
@ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic Eek, rich posh gatekeepers.
Not all autistics can afford the certifiable papers (and as far as I'm aware, the certification is sensory overwhelming, like mine was).
And sometimes, real autistics are denied certification by a poor analyzer of autism.
I'm peeved too, a friend of mine being denied assistance by someone deciding they are not needing assistance.
My neighbor has no right to decide for me, they are not certified to diagnose.
@ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic At the moment my inner dialogue about this is to ask whether they think gay people must have a formal diagnosis as well, or whether it's okay to "self diagnose" as gay. Homosexuality used to be a diagnosis with a list of traits on the DSM just like Autism is. Oh? You think a person can just decide for themself that they are gay, based on their own, inner experience, without consulting a medical expert first? Yeah, so do I! Join the dots!