Autistic Hedgehog

Here is a list of criteria put together by someone who is actually autistic, rather than some unfortunate “expert” with a lot of misconceptions. Just a few things I’d like to point out for you to keep in mind while reading:

1. Teenagers or adults with undiagnosed autism are the proverbial babies that are taught to swim by just pitching them into the water. Many develop a number of coping mechanisms to deal with their autism symptoms and even overcome a few altogether. That an individual may have done so does not disqualify them from being autistic.

2. Some of these things can be very hard to identify from within. It may take a lot of time and thought to see if this criteria applies to you, because it can be so difficult to notice things you yourself do. As well, some of these are things (like differences in sensory perception) that one may not have had much reason to realize is different in themselves from what it is in others. I never knew I was synesthetic until a few years ago, because I always assumed everyone else processed the world synesthetically too.

3. It’s my firm belief that the underdiagnosis of DFAB girls is due in part to socialization. Two (erroneously) common “traits” of autism are a lack of empathy/emotion and less desire to socialize. However, any child identified by others as a girl will be encouraged, from a very young age, towards pursuits and hobbies that surround empathy and socialization (where as a child identified as a boy will not be, or will be encouraged towards these things to a much lesser degree). They will be expected to be more emotional and social, as well as to be less energetic and rowdy than, DMAB boys, thanks to sexism and cissexism. So when dealing with someone who either identifies as female or especially who was identified as female from birth, keep in mind that some of these traits may have been greatly lessened or forced out by how the person in question was raised. That doesn’t mean that the individual doesn’t necessarily have them, but may have been forced to have them “under control” so they don’t show nearly as strongly as they otherwise might.