#poc autistic

[blackautism]

Neurodivergent Insights

[dreamdropdollop]

art credit - Draw To AAC

nonverbal communication is valid communication (they look a bit like us with our hair out heh)

[autisticdreamdrop]

more poc dark haired AAC users

credit: Drawn To AAC

[rottingsalem]

I AM A AUTISM NIGHTMARE AHHAHHAAHHAHAH NOBODY IS SAFE FROM KNOWING ABT MY HYPERFIXATIONS RAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

[yinlotus]

okay i might delete this later but i have a question.

does anyone else who's autistic feel like they don't have a real culture* or feel removed from the culture their supposed to have/be apart of? i get the feeling often and of course it partially due to the fact that i'm american and black- (i don't think i need to explain that)

then i realized that in most definitions culture is adopted by individuals through socialization and as an autistic person, socialization is much harder so that may be a factor?? also in some cultures specifically the food my have certain textures or the music/dances might be frustrating sensory wise? to the point that you feel removed from it and would rather avoid it?

or maybe i'm the only one and this theory is wrong lol and i have absolutely no real reason to feel like this.

*by culture i'm referring to things like clothing, dances, celebrations, feelings of togetherness/pride, etc. not just stuff like.. expectations/morality/"common sense"/etc.

if you're wondering why i tagged academia its because i thought of this while under certain poc academia tags and had feelings as to why some look soo... "cultural" for lack of a better word while others didn’t

edit: while i'm not upset that white people are replying (and you still can) i was particularly looking for black and poc voices (especially black americans)

[sicksadstar]

my ear protection keeps me safe

[blackautism]

Stimming can look so varied and so wonderfully and uniquely Black.

From picking your afro because the motion is soothing, to twerking and playing with your braids, to repeating that one itch-scratching line in the rap song you love over and over again…

It’s the way that you put on lipgloss even though you just put it on three minutes ago because the motion is soothing. It’s the smell and motion of lathering yourself in lotion and body butter, the weight and sound of your jewelry clinking against each other, the rubbing of your waist beads against your hips and stomach, even between your fingers. It’s even throwing up gang signs when you’re alone.

You stim, and you may not even notice it because nothing listed reminds you of how white people stim… and haven’t they set the path? The trend?

You are autistic, and you are Black, and those two things are not at odds. You don’t have to choose one or the other. It is a glorious feeling to embrace cultural stims, so the next time you twirl your braids or fidget with your waistbeads or even find yourself twerking in the kitchen while you cook, I hope you know all the autistic Black ancestors and people out here roaming the world right now are doing it with you.

- Dear Fellow Black Autistic, Your Autistic Experience Looks Different

[blackautism]

"Black autistic individuals, regardless of age, have not been centred in autism research. Instead, they often exist on the margins—on the periphery of autism research. In fact, Black autistic adults are largely absent from the literature. Most participants in autism research are majority-white autistic individuals and families."

- National Library of Medicine