∞ ¡ YIPPEE ! ∞

#actuallyautistic #actuallyautism general autism relatability/positivity/struggle/etc. blog ALLISTICS DNI. /srs everyone else should still read my byf/dni before following. sideblog. admin uses he/she/purr pronouns.

[autismcats]

HELLO AUTISTICS!!

i’ve decided to run a cat-themed sideblog where i keep all of my autism posts in one place. i’ll start it by reblogging a bunch of posts from my #actually autistic tag on my main just to get started, and then i’m hoping this will actually take off if i can get some promotions (hey @autistic-af​ @autistics-speak​ @autismserenity​ could i maybe have a boost? if not, it’s totally fine to ignore) and stay active.

my favorite philosophy? all cats have autism!! any autistic cat lover like me should be ecstatic to see this.

be sure to read my about & byf/dni before following, thanks!!

[autismcats]

what is the real hidden message of frozen 2′s “show yourself”?

so i got the inspiration earlier to finally rewatch that frozen 2 “show yourself” music video on youtube, and i had some thoughts in the middle of doing so.

as a disclaimer, i just want to say that i’m absolutely queer myself. this is not to discredit others’ interpretations of the song, and this is just my own take regarding my life experiences. i’m not claiming to speak for everyone in this post. in fact, i do still believe queerness has a lot to do with the subtext inside of the lyrics.

but anyway, i remember when the movie was in theaters at the end of 2019 and there were plenty of articles written about how “show yourself” has a hidden meaning about accepting the idea of being queer. there are lots of people my age who were new to identifying as lesbian, gay, bi, and/or trans at the time and i thought it made a lot of sense, especially because the headcanon and theory that elsa is a closeted lesbian was so popular at the time. it paved the way to shipping elsa + honeymaren (elsamaren) and made it easy to read frozen 2′s ending with them dating.

and that’s definitely notable ─ i’m not disagreeing!

but something always felt off about how i related to the lyrics personally and i was never sure why.

until i stumbled upon it again today.

in my opinion, i think the song is better heard with autism (or otherwise neurodivergency) in mind. it tells my story of finding the missing piece much better than it does of my realizing that i’m bi + trans, as well as my coming out.

again, i don’t think the LGBTQ+ reading is wrong! honestly i believe it comes down to a mix of both that and the autistic reading. but i see the latter outweighing the former here.

to me, i looked up these lyrics on google and my mind went straight to getting a diagnosis, an answer as to why my social life has always been so wrong:

i've never felt so certain all my life i've been torn but i'm here for a reason could it be the reason i was born? i have always been so different normal rules did not apply is this the day? are you the way i finally find out why?

everyone has something different to say about what part of their identity has impacted their experiences the most growing up. for me, it’s being neurodivergent. my sexuality, probably like most people (but of course not for many others), didn’t show up until my teenage years; same with my internal gender and outer presentation. my autism, however, has been present and influenced who i am for my whole life. i felt elsa’s longing and determination to find answers to her lifelong questions about not just who, but how & why she is in her musical journey throughout the ice caves.

i feel like we can all say confidently that who we are, regarding being queer, is something we can answer with the factual statement that we are queer and that’s just that, unless of course we get into the old debate regarding if it exists as nature vs. nurture. regardless, it’s always innate to some degree, and doesn’t inherently determine our personalities, behaviors, or understandings. autism & ADHD both do; it’s literally what defines autism as we know it.

that’s my argument. as i said, i’m not looking to “prove” anything or present my subjective opinion as objective fact. my take isn’t that the neurodivergent interpretation is more important or valid than the queer interpretation, just that i prefer the second option over the first.

either way, elsa is, without a doubt, an autistic sapphic! this is (part of) what makes her a valuable, relatable character to a lot of young people and we should always celebrate that. ♡

[iconcupid]

Autistic Flags

for lgbts with autism ! in order: lesbian, gay, bi, trans, pan, nonbinary, asexual, aromantic, genderfluid

DO NOT INTERACT if you are bigoted, ace/aro/pan exclusionist, support mspec lesbians/gays, or support endogenic/non-traumagenic systems.

[kittysprites]

Hi! I hope it wouldn’t be too much trouble but could you do a Autistic Nb Lesbian flag icon it would mean the world!! Hope you have a great day!

Here you are! I blended the blue and red from the autistic lesbian flag. I hope you like it! And if you’d like a different color scheme or design, don’t hesitate to ask again! <3-Mod Rosie

[kittysprites]

I was wondering, could you make pastel versions of your autism pride flags?

I hope you like these!

- Mod Rosie

[wingkink]

Let’s talk about the astounding similarities between cats and autistic people, and how we should make them the official autism mascot instead of that godawful puzzle piece

[neurowonderful]

Oh man, now you’ve got me going!

Firstly, cats stim. They purr, swish their tails and knead their paws against pillows, blankets, and other soft things. Many cats actively seek out sensory experiences, like listening to birds singing, lying in a sunbeam, rolling against the grass, etc.

Cats have sensory sensitivities— many of them dislike walking on certain flooring, touching certain textures, and certain smells or sounds may make them anxious. Their fur is very sensitive, they can sense the lightest touch, or speck of lint, or dust and their skin will quiver until they can lick or rub it off. When they become overstimulated cats retreat into a small, dark place to recover.

Cats love routine. Many cats know the exact time that their owners wake up in the morning and will wake them. A cat with a routine is a happy cat— they love to have their meals or soft food on a schedule and will learn their owner’s schedule. Cats will become anxious when the schedule is disrupted or if their owner doesn’t follow their usual routine.

In the same vein cats are very wary and/or anxious when it comes to the introduction of new things or people into their environment. Cats require time and patience to get used to anything or anyone newly introduced. Cats also feel anxious when existing furniture is rearranged or when a new smell (like an air freshener) is introduced into the home.

Cats often have “special interests”, a particular activity or thing that they love and can spend hours enjoying. It could be playing with a particular toy, chewing on something, listening to the radio, or watching the clothes in the washing machine. My cat Kitty has a certain ball that she fixates on and will happily enjoy and obsess over for hours.

Finally, cats have a very distinct and subtle body language. The difference is particularly evident when compared with the exuberant, unsubtle dog. The slightest twitch of a tail or turn of the ears, the frequency and timing of blinks, and the positioning of the tail in relation to the body are all little movements that can express much. To the untrained eye it may appear as if a cat is bored, aloof, or unaware of its surroundings. But once you learn to recognize cat body language and understand cat communication, you’ll be amazed at the depth of emotion and how expressive your cat really is.

Yes, I think that cats have a lot in common with autistic people. And that’s wonderful!

[jaspurr]

also can I add to this:

cats like to show their affection just by sharing the same space. a cat will generally want to be in the same space as you, even if you’re not really interacting and are half way across the room. still hanging out! 

they don’t always want to be touched, and can be easily overstimulated by physical affection.

they don’t like to make eye contact.

their body language is often misinterpreted- and then they are blamed for it, or have negative motivations ascribed to it. a cat following you around is stalking you instead of wanting to hang out. a cat that doesn’t want to make eye contact with you is ignoring you instead of being polite. a cat that lashes out because it’s over stimulated, or you ignored their body language telling you to leave them alone is suddenly an asshole who hurt you for no reason.

[vivapinatawiki-deactivated20250]

I had this book as a child and I’m glad to see the comparison is so widely recognized too

[neurodivergent-crow]

I KEEP SAYING ALL CATS ARE AUTISTIC IM SO HAPPY THIS POST EXISTS PLEASE SOMEONE ARTISTIC MAKE A CAT WITH THE NEURODIVERGENT SYMBOL ON IT FOR AUTISM MASCOT :D

[draconym]

[queenofthefaces]

The book above has been updated to better align with the current understanding of autism as well!!

All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum (Updated Version) | Welcome

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

meltdowns are so rude. you’re just sitting in your body chilling, then it decides on its own that you’re an unwelcome intruder and starts blaring all the alarms

[lemon-juice-in-ur-eyes]

WAIT THATS WHAT A SENSORY MELTDOWN FEELS LIKE?????

I’VE BEEN THINKING IT WAS JUST MY PTSD

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

as someone with c-ptsd, i would say that these experiences have a fair amount of overlap. (and if you’re both autistic and have a trauma disorder, the symptoms can bleed together). a good way to differentiate between sensory meltdowns/shutdowns vs panic attack/flashbacks are by identifying the triggers & root cause:

sensory meltdown/shutdowns:

Triggered by sensory stimuli. 

Usually manifests as a growing feeling of irritation, discomfort, distress, overwhelmedness in response to noises, lights, textures, etc. 

Caused by sensory processing issues, which some people (esp autistic people) are born with.

panic attack/flashbacks*:

Triggered by certain things (words, behaviors, sensory stimuli) that relate to past trauma.

Often experienced as the recall of memories and emotional states, the onset of strong unexpected physical or emotional distress.

Caused by exposure to past trauma.

Anyway, these two things can definitely be experienced in similar ways. Both can include:

Feelings of distress, being overwhelmed, strong emotions such fear, anger, urgency.

Physical symptoms such as difficulty walking, breathing

Loss of executive functions. It’s really hard to just sit quietly or run errands etc when something has pressed the Big Red Button in your brain, no matter what specific type of button it is.

Also, autistic folks are vulnerable to trauma, so some people experience both autism & ptsd.

Later I’ll write a post about Complex PTSD (from exposure to chronic trauma, often throughout childhood).

I also recommend googling emotional flashbacks, which is a term more people need to know.

i have a ko-fi, if you find my posts educational!

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

update for people in the notes: 

you don’t need to be on the autism spectrum to have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). 

There is a BIG overlap though. Most people with autism have SPD, though I can’t find data on how many people with SPD are autistic.

It does seem to be a strong indicator though. If you have sensory issues or SPD, you should probably do some research on autism as well.

[aspergersissues]

[do-angels-dream-of-starry-seas]

Having autism and ADHD basically cancels each other out

[cypopps]

Do autistic kids "grow out" of their autism? Why does it sometimes seem like there are so few autistic adults?

For Autism Acceptance Month, I covered this topic in this comic to help explain this disconnect! YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Twitter

[admiral-craymen]

That person from the other day blocked me for saying autism is a disability.

They basically said that being autistic isn’t a disability because autism is the person. Yes, I am autistic and I would be a very different person if I wasn’t autistic. My special interest (Panzer Dragoon) brings me a lot of joy.

Also because of being autistic, I have meltdowns. When I have a meltdown, it’s usually because of a sudden change of plans, too much going on at once, or other stressful situations. A meltdown is a medical event that is similar to a seizure.

This person thinks that autism is the same as being gay or transgender, but it’s not. Those are not disabilities, while autism is. They think that autism is being called a disability because of eugenics, not because it actually is a disability.

Autism can be both a blessing and a curse, but it’s still a disability.

[autistic-af]

Straight from the CDC

Hold on. That anon who argued with you may not be able to see it. Let me…just….

There

[myautisticpov]

Okay, so, a thing that might be helpful for people to remember: “autism is a spectrum” means that just because you don’t experience autism a certain way doesn’t mean that other people don’t experience it that way.

I’ve fallen into this trap myself sometimes, but yeah, I have seen people tarring things as “inaccurate stereotypes” that are… like… actual autistic traits?

“Autistic people aren’t monotone or awkward with their speech because I’m not! It’s a harmful stereotype!”

Idk, when that’s said in response to dozens of autistic people saying that they sometimes struggle with tone of voice or awkward/formal phrasing… Well, it’s frustrating.

Like, I don’t stim much. I certainly don’t do it in ways that people around me view as obvious.

But I’m not out here saying “anyone who says that autistic people flap their hands is perpetuating a harmful stereotype!”

But yeah, maybe take a moment to consider if the thing you’re railing against is actually inaccurate, or if it just doesn’t apply to you.

[unoriginalautistic]

@ the people on tiktok who are like “people say autistic people have low empathy but i’m actually hyper-empathetic and all the nd people i know are super empathetic and caring”

like that’s good for you but some of us actually do have low levels of empathy and that’s ok too

[newtsoda]

There has been a lot of research about autistics over the years, but this one really took the cake!

This is what happened when researchers attempted to compare the moral compass of autistic and non-autistic people…

[airaliila]

This says a lot about what is generally (?) considered as values. If you are not selfish you have to be problematic? If you are not hypocrite you got some issues. 🤯🙄

[awsteb]

happy autistic acceptance month!! i hope you’re all well :] i got around to making some autistic lgbt pride using my personal favourite autistic pride flag 🍎🍊🍋🍐🍏

lesbian / gay / bisexual transgender / original / nonbinary agender / genderfluid / bigender

“The autistic pride flag. Gold middle band refers to the elemental symbol of gold (AU) which is used in the autistic community. The gradient refers to the Pride Movement. Red originated as a protest to the “light it up blue” campaign, which was denounced by the autistic community. In color theory, green is the complimentary color to red. The infinity sign is a symbol long used in the wider autistic and wider neurodiverse community.”

credit is appreciated ♡

[sillylilduckie]

just see again - anyone who say function labels pure evil need give this severe autism duckie $1000 . like really , they very good for us people with problems do words . 

no one should need list all life problems and accomodations just because that protect your feelings from word severe ! 

and sorry but if want us use high support then you need decide what that mean , because see people who can live mostly independent say they high support because need reminders . 

no - high support should mean that can not do ADLs alone , if at all . can not eat without someone help or watch , can not wash self without help , can not go leave house alone … 

high support person in danger if left alone . low support person not . but people not respect us or words for us , so they decide fit in . shut up .

if want complain about how autism communities focus lots on wordy high function people , have right do that with how many times “ loving ” autism communities shun because clearly too different , too oblivious , too emotional , too … severe .

[whalesharkpasta]

YES didnt want to say what thought about it Cause didnt want to be rude but so often see people who live alone and have jobs and drive cars and stuff call it self high support because need prompts and stuff  call high support and when ask about it say they its high support cause was really hard and they was almost not able to do it or could do it but cause mental health problems and couldnt use words good enough to explain why with not also being mean but yeah not about if its hard its actually about Not Able To do It

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

yes i often afraid to say it bc then people say i gatekeep and policing when i’m not

so i say “if your understanding of support needs rankings doesn’t include people who absolutely cannot be left alone & live independently who need help on basic ADLs like feeding and grooming and dressing, then it’s eugenics”

[thebilociraptor]

Happy Autism Acceptance Month!

[flappyhappystim]

You don’t need to be an expert on your special interest, or be amazing at the hobby that has become your hyper fixation for your special interests/hyper fixations to be valid. 

[genderqueerpositivity]

(Image description: four squares in various shades of red with white text, together the text reads "Support autistic trans people. Support autistic trans women. Support autistic trans men. Support autistic nonbinary people.")