As a medium/lower support needs autistic who works with young higher support needs autistic:
We all matter. We all have the same diagnosis. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
But we are not the same.
I can mask and might be seen as 'odd' or 'weird' in public. The students I work with are seen as 'dangerous' and 'practically little kids'.
I can go to university and work with accommodations. The students I work with likely will never live independently and a few might find jobs that support them but still pay them less than an abled worker.
I have full control of my finances. The students I work with aren't allowed to make independent financial decisions, even if capable.
If I say 'no,' I'm making a choice. The students I work with can't say 'no' without being labeled as defiant and difficult.
I can feed myself, bathe myself, and take care of myself with extreme challenges. The students I work with are unable to take care of themselves without high levels of support/one on one support.
I had an IEP in high school but was mainstreamed in classes. The students I work with take separate classes and some rarely get to interact with their abled peers.
Our experiences are fundamentally different. Higher support needs autistics will experience a specific type of ableism I never will, and can never fully understand.
Lower support needs autistics need to stop saying we understand what higher support needs autistics are going through and then present autism as only being disabling because of society/lack of acceptance because that is dangerous. We need to stop saying every autistic person is capable of everything if given the right support because that leaves out huge parts of our community who will never be able to do certain things, regardless of support.
We are worthy of existence regardless of our abilities.
Autism is a spectrum. It is not the same for every autistic person. Autism acceptance and advocacy has to come with accepting, acknowledging, and listening to our higher support needs peers.
Pixie say . thank you !!! pixie so happy to see other people post this like !
and also want say . different is not bad !
Pixie go to specialized programs and art day program . go see and play and do art with people what have all sorts of disabilities and abilities .
some are more disabled than Pixie . many are less disabled than Pixie . them Pixie all have lots fun and with everybody there get how much help each person need and nobody get upset about some people get more help .
pixie not understand why is so hard to understand this for those people what have more abilities . autism is not a line spectrum ! but ! is still a spectrum . and . say people what all need different levels of help is not attack on low support needs people ! is just a fact .
