I've had this blog for a couple of years now, and here's some very important things I've learnt. Y'all listen to your Autistic Auntie, now.
This is one big echo chamber. If you don't step out of that bubble, you can start to think all Autistics are in the same boat.
People will have different opinions to you on basically everything within autism.
Gatekeeping terms is a bad idea. Some people like functioning labels. Some people are older and new to Tumblr and know nothing of why Aspie is a bad term. Some people live in countries where that is still a diagnosis. Step back, breathe, and assess before concluding anything.
ABA is bad. But some people benefited from it. Just sit and live with that. It's okay for something to be bad and still have helped others. Many factors go into therapy.
Support needs are how much help you need with your social and language skills, not in help with ADLs such as showering or brushing your teeth.
Intercepting autistic traits is not always a bad thing. As @five-thousand-loaves-of-bread said, not all therapy is ABA, and not every single ABA therapist is harming children. We need to sit with that.
A lot of Autistics are traumatised.
Autism is not a superpower or a jump in the evolutionary chain. This is a dangerous thought pattern.
Autism can both suck and have benefits to the individual. They are not mutually exclusive.
Autistics can lie. Autistics can manipulate. We're not genetic saints.
There are a lot of differences in an autistic brain. And a lot of social and environmental factors that can make or break someone.
Some Autistics do not have good days or bad days. Some are high support needs all the time.
None of us speak for all of us.
There is going to be research on autism no matter how much we hate it. And some people want a cure.
Some Autistics will never have children because they do not want to risk an autistic child. I am one of these people. Support these people.
Some Autistics have several children with and without autism. Support these people.
Listen to all levels of support needs. Sometimes irks you? Discuss why. Open dialogue. Remember, Autistics can struggle with theory of mind, or black and white thinking. None of this is easy.
Listen to parents and caregivers of Autistics.