WHAT IS AUTISM?

Autism is a developmental disability that is characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behaviour.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AUTISM?

Finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling
Repetitive behaviors like hand-flapping, rocking, jumping, or twirling
Taking things very literally – for example, having difficulty understanding sarcasm or metaphors
Over or under sensitivity to sounds, smells, touch,taste, light, colours and temperatures
Having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes
Not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people
Intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age
Avoiding eye contact
Seeming rude, blunt or not interested in others without meaning to
AUTISM MYTHS

autistic people cannot feel love and they do not care about other people = this is false. autistic people can and do feel love and they do care about other people. they may just express it differently. an autistic person not expressing love and affection in ways that most people are expected does not mean they do not care. they may find expressing their feelings difficult, or they may be uncomfortable with physical affection such as hugging. this does not mean they do not care
autism is a mental illness or a disease = this is false. autism is a developmental disability, not an illness or a disease. mental illnesses develop, and although can be passed through genetics, are not present from birth, unlike autism.
autism is not a disease either, because it is not contagious and cannot be "caught". autism is not a sickness or illness. it is not a bad thing and it cannot be cured.
don't say autistic, say with autism/suffering with autism/living with autism = this is false and extremely harmful.
contrary to popular belief, autistic (identity-first language) is mostly preferred by autistic people and with autism/suffering from autism/living with autism (person-first language) is considered harmful and the majority of the autistic community are against it.

this is because saying autistic people have autism or live with autism implies that autism is extractable from the autistic individual, which is false. autism impacts autistic people every moment of their entire lives. autism never goes away, autistic people are autistic from the moment they are born until the moment they die. it impacts autistic people's life experiences and personalities. it isn't something they have it's something they ARE.

saying autistic people "suffer" from autism is also harmful. this is because autism is not a bad thing. it just means the individual experiences the world differently. autistic people do not suffer from autism, autistic people suffer from ableism from other people because of their autism. autism isn't the problem, ableism is.

autism can be cured = this is false. autism is life-long and cannot be cured. the idea of a "cure" for autism is inherently ableist as it implies that autism needs to be cured, which it doesn't. autism impacts autistic people's personalities and life experiences, and by saying they should be "cured" is saying that you do not care about them as people and that they only matter when they act "normal". therapies such as ABA are not cures for autism, and do not help autistic people in any way. therapies such as ABA are abuse and focus on forcing the person to hide their autistic traits for the convenience of the people around them.
only boys can be autistic = this is false. boys are more commonly diagnosed, but that doesn't mean girls cannot be autistic. AFAB (people are less commonly diagnosed because their autistic traits often present differently. they may have more "normal" special interests such as tv shows or music and they often learn to mask and hide their autistic traits as children. professionals often cannot spot autism in AFAB people because most studies of autism have focused on AMAB people
everyone's a little bit autistic = this is false. autism is a developmental disability. autistic people experience the world differently to non-autistic people and by saying that everyone is a little bit autistic, you are ignoring that they are autistic and have had different experiences that most people have not experienced.

identity-first language is widely preferred within the autistic community. when referring to an autistic person or the autistic community, you should always use identity-first language. however, this does not apply if you are aware that an autistic person does not like identity-first language and prefers person-first language. if an autistic person prefers to be called a person with autism, you should refer to them as such.

autistic people look a certain way = this is false. you cannot tell if someone is autistic by looking at them. autistic people can look any way. by saying autistic people have to look a certain way, you are replying on and encouraging stereotypes.
only children can be autistic/autism goes away when an autistic child gets older this is = false. autism is life-long, it never goes away. autistic children become autistic adults.
self diagnosing autism is wrong = this is false. self diagnosing autism is valid. many autistic people are unable to get diagnosed for a variety of reasons.
it may be too expensive and their family may not allow them to. it can also be extremely difficult for people of colour, AFAB people, trans people and mentally ill people to get a diagnosis as many professionals are ignorant and think that all autistic people are the same or that only cisgender, heterosexual white boys can be autistic, which is extremely wrong and ableist.

self diagnosing allows people to find resources and information that can help them. it also allows them to find other people they can relate to and gives them sense of community and belonging. self diagnosed autism is valid as long as a lot of research is done.

functioning labels should be used = this is false. "high" and "low" functioning are harmful labels that enforce negative ideas and stereotypes about autistic people. it separates the autistic community into two inaccurate boxes.
"high-functioning" people are considered "mildly autistic" which means that their struggles are ignored and they may not be able to get the extra support or assistance they need.

"low-functioning" autistic people are infantilised and are often seen by society as worthless and incapable of doing anything.

functioning labels are harmful and ableist and inaccurate. this is because many autistics may be able to "function" well in some situations but may not be able to "function" well in others. functioning labels are not about the autistic-person's needs, but instead are about how well the autistic person can mask their autistic traits and how "normal" they can seem.

RESOURCES
(more resources to be added soon)

autism speaks is NOT a reliable source. do not go to autism speaks for information about autism. they are an ableist hate group that promotes extremely harmful ideas. click here for more information on why you should not support them

autismactivism instagram page - an #actuallyautistic account with accurate and trust-worthy information about autism as well as funny and relatable content for autistic people.
the #actuallyautistic tag on tumblr - allows you to access autistic people's posts about autism, great for accurate information, very useful if you think you might be autistic
the autism wiki - this has plenty of information about autism related topics including meltdowns, shutdowns, stimming, etc
a 2018 survey that asked thousands of autistic people and allistic people autism-related questions. great for seeing the differences between autistic people's thoughts and allistic people's thoughts on autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder, otherwise known as ASD or autism, is a developmental disorder/disability. This doesn't mean we don't function well (functioning labels are harmful), it just means we have different needs, different levels of needed support, and just.....differences. And no, it doesn't need a cure. That's also harmful. Autism makes us who we are: unique and beautiful.
Some symptoms of ASD include (but not limited to):
Lack of eye contact
Meltdowns/shutdowns caused by sensory overload
Difficulty with understanding/following social cues
Sensitivity to different sensory stuff (like certain textures, bright lights or loud noises)
Stimming
Special interests
Stimming

Stimming basically just refers to self-stimulation behaviors. It can usually take the form of repetive moment or sounds, but stimming is different for everyone, and isn't limited to those on the autism spectrum!
Some stimming behaviors include (but not limited to):
Flapping one's arms/hands
Pacing
Rocking back and forth
Listening to a song over and over again
Swinging on a swing (yep. That's stimming!)
And many more!

Special Interests

Special interests (not to be confused with hyperfixations) are intense and passionate interests for people on the autism spectrum. They help us calm down and, well, make us happy. Unlike hyperfixations, special interests may be long-term.
Some common special interests include:
Trains (although stereotypical, this is a common interest for those on the spectrum.)
Subjects like chemistry and math
TV shows like Steven Universe, Spongebob Squarepants, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Infinity Train
Video games like Pokémon and Sonic the Hedgehog
Animals like dogs and cats
Literally, just about ANYTHING can be a special interest. Not joking. ANYTHING.
Want to learn more? Watch this video by Toon Ruins on YouTube:

Autism Representation in Media

You probably know what representation is by now. Here's the point, we autistic people get almost NONE of it.
And when we do, it's usually harmful representation, like in Rainman, Big Bang Theory, Girl Meets World, and....Music. Yes, I said it.
Thankfully however, characters like Entrapta from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Abed from Community are like diamonds in the rough for us.
However, it's not enough. We need more characters, more people to look up to, to reassure us to not be afraid to be ourselves, because imperfection is beautiful.
This is why we make headcanons: so we can see ourselves in characters like Dendy from OK KO, Peridot and Pearl from Steven Universe!
Please remember: hire actors, writers and showrunners who are autistic!!! It's worth it!
Toon Ruins (yes there's another video by her. No it's not as long) explained this perfectly:

what is ADHD?
adhd stands for "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder". it is a neurodevelopmental disorder, placing it on the neurodiversity spectrum. more than three-fourths of cases of adhd as a child will continue into adulthood. adhd is often misunderstood or oversimplified by those with and without it. to learn more about adhd, click the buttons below.
Everybody can have difficulty sitting still, paying attention or controlling impulsive behavior once in a while. For some people, however, the problems are so pervasive and persistent that they interfere with every aspect of their life: home, academic, social and work.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 11 percent of school-age children. Symptoms continue into adulthood in more than three-quarters of cases. ADHD is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Individuals with ADHD can be very successful in life. However, without identification and proper treatment, ADHD may have serious consequences, including school failure, family stress and disruption, depression, problems with relationships, substance abuse, delinquency, accidental injuries and job failure. Early identification and treatment are extremely important.

Medical science first documented children exhibiting inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity in 1902. Since that time, the disorder has been given numerous names, including minimal brain dysfunction, hyperkinetic reaction of childhood, and attention-deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity. With the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classification system, the disorder has been renamed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. The current name reflects the importance of the inattention aspect of the disorder as well as the other characteristics of the disorder such as hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Symptoms

Typically, ADHD symptoms arise in early childhood. According to the DSM-5, several symptoms are required to be present before the age of 12. Many parents report excessive motor activity during the toddler years, but ADHD symptoms can be hard to distinguish from the impulsivity, inattentiveness and active behavior that is typical for kids under the age of four. In making the diagnosis, children should have six or more symptoms of the disorder present; adolescents 17 and older and adults should have at least five of the symptoms present. The DSM-5 lists three presentations of ADHD—Predominantly Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive and Combined. The symptoms for each are adapted and summarized below.

mental retardation was a medical diagnostic term used throughout the 1900s to refer to those with intellectual delay but ended up becoming a slur over time. mental retardation was based on IQ, which included mild (IQ between 50-70), moderate (IQ between 35-55), severe (IQ between 20-40), and profound (IQ below 20 or 25). the r slur is not about neurodivergency but instead about intellectual delay. The term "mental retardation" was changed to "intellectual disability" in 2010 by obama. "significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning with deficits in adaptive functioning initially manifested during the developmental period; i.e., the evidence demonstrates or supports onset of the impairment before age 22" says the SSA (social security administration). mental retardation does apply to people who have trouble with adaptive functioning ("adaptive behavior refers to behavior that enables a person to get along in their environment with greatest success and least conflict with others.") but it must be along side an intellectual disability, which is why not all neurodivergents may reclaim it.

so who can reclaim the r slur?
the r slur may only be reclaimed by those who have intellectual disabilities. this includes people with
down syndrome
autism
cerebral palsy
fragile x syndrome
prader-willi syndrome (PWS)
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

dyslexia is not mental retardation because dyslexia does not affect IQ and any mental retardation in someone with dyslexia comes from something else.
"there are many misconceptions about dyslexic children. they are believed to be slow learners, mentally retarded, slow in comprehension, emotionally disturbed and totally unfit for learning. this surmise is not only popular, but also wrong. dyslexics have a problem only in reading, writing, spelling and sometimes arithmetic, but not in thinking". "dyslexia is not related to low intelligence. dyslexia is a unique mindset that is often gifted and productive but learns differently than other minds. in fact, some of the most brilliant minds of our time have been known to have dyslexia: albert einstein, alexander graham bell, thomas edison, winston churchill, benjamin franklin, wolfgang amadeus mozart, and john lennon, to mention only a few." - https://athome.readinghorizons.com
"it is not due to mental retardation, brain damage, or a lack of intelligence. the causes of dyslexia vary with the type. in primary dyslexia, much research focuses on the hereditary factors. researchers have recently identified specific genes identified as possibly contributing to the signs and symptoms of dyslexia." - www.medicinenet.com

ADHD

adhd is not mental retardation, one thing that many professionals say is that adhd is a mental illness rather than a disability, sources say different things on this. while that is up for debate it is true that it is not a learning disability. adhd is not a learning disability because not everyone with adhd does experience intellectual delay, thats not what adhd is. adhd does go hand in hand with lots of disabilities that are mental retardation, autism for example, which causes lots of people to be confused on if adhd is an intellectual disability or not. adhd is not included in the "specific learning disabilities" but rather "other health impaired". it is proven for adhd to often co-exist with intellectual disorders, but it is not one itself.
"attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common condition in children with mental retardation (MR), with a prevalence rate of between 4 and 15%. It is therefore necessary to examine the epidemiological characteristics of neurodevelopmental disorders in patients with MR, evaluate diagnostic protocols and especially update the pharmacological treatment of ADHD in children with MR". "ADHD is more frequent in patients with MR than in the general population. the diagnostic methodology is usually the same as that used in patients without MR. stimulation treatment is the most specifically indicated for the treatment of attentional and behavioural problems in these children." - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"although ADHD is not considered a learning disability, research indicates that from 30-50 percent of children with ADHD also have a specific learning disability, and that the two conditions can interact to make learning extremely challenging". "ADHD is not considered to be a learning disability. it can be determined to be a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), making a student eligible to receive special education services. however, ADHD falls under the category "Other Health Impaired" and not under "Specific Learning Disabilities." individuals with ADHD can also qualify for accommodations under the ADA and Section 504 if their ADHD impacts a major life function such as learning." - ldaamerica.org
"attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not a learning disability; however, it does make learning difficult. for example, it is hard to learn when you struggle to focus on what your teacher is saying or when you can't seem to be able to sit down and pay attention to a book. you can have both." - verywellmind.com

Tourettes

tourettes are sometimes called an intellectual disability the same way adhd and dyslexia are, but this is not true. tourettes alone do not affect people intellectually, but more times than not people with tourettes syndrome also have learning disabilities.
"individuals with TS have a normal life expectancy. TS does not impair intelligence. although tic symptoms tend to decrease with age, it is possible that neurobehavioral disorders such as ADHD, OCD, depression, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and mood swings can persist and cause impairment in adult life." - www.ninds.nih.gov

onto this carrd i would like to add that i have autism and adhd. i have been looking into this almost all year and i have spent hours researching. the the r slur is very harmful and i am tired of being yelled at for things relating to this slur, please read and understand why you may not be able to reclaim it. reclaiming slurs is not fun, you should not be super upset that you cant say a slur, thats a you thing to work on. i would also like to add that being called a slur does NOT mean you can reclaim it. it does not matter if you (as someone without an intellectual disability) have been called the r slur or not, the word was never about you in the first place and therefore cannot be reclaimed by you.

i've been subject to a lot of ableism in my life and it's upsetting to see how ignored it is, and i really hope i can change that.

i know it may be hard to imagine why anyone would be discriminatory towards people with a disability, something they can't help, but its more likely than you'd think.

try not to worry if you or anyone you know have done these things before, this is meant to be educational and how you should not do these things in future.

just a heads up, i will be focusing on physical + invisible disability. i don't have a mental disability and therefore i don't have any right to speak on ableism in that aspect.
Slurs

i think i should start with what i see the most often.
one of the most common forms of ableism i see is slurs, for example the r-word and s-word. it should go without saying that we do not say this word and others like it anymore, but here are the reasons why!

its very hurtful + derogatory
suggests that disabled people are flawed, different and invalid just for being disabled
reinforces negative stereotypes about disabled people
there are a lot of other words you can use, for example stupid or ridiculous etc. there is no excuse for keeping these words in your vocab.

Inspiration Porn

this is basically finding disabled people inspirational for just living their lives. this is mainly something able bodied people do, sort of 'if they can get out of bed, get ripped, get a job, then i definitely can'

this is extremely hurtful. we are more than just our disability although it is an important part of our identities. and we do not exist solely for your pleasure, your inspiration and your motivation. we are not objects. we are not here to fuel your ego.

disabled people are people
it should be noted that you can find disabled people inspirational. classic example is stephen hawking, an amazing scientist. however, he shouldn't inspire you because he is disabled and can do everyday things, he should inspire you because of his amazing scientific theories and discoveries.

Commonly Asked Qs

"But you don't look disabled"
just because you can't see it doesn't mean its not there, and you should take me seriously. i'm not gonna say i have a disability for the sake of it am i. disability is not just being in a wheelchair. disability can be completely hidden too.

"Have you tried -any sort of herbal remedy/exercise-?"
i've tried a lot. trust me i don't want to be on meds, if something nAtUrAl actually worked don't you think the doctors would rave about it? no. stop trying to fix me you're not a doctor.

"You're faking/attention seeker/drama queen"
this happens a lot to people that don't have a diagnosis. you are all so valid and i believe you a hundred percent. doctors have said this to me and i'm sure many others. again, i'm not gonna say i have a disability or am in pain for the sake of it. hell, even if they are faking (most likely aren't) it's much better to offer your support than blank them out.

"You're too young to be sick"
sorry to break it to you but disability doesn't discriminate. affects all people no matter their age. it is ignorant and hurtful and only continues the stereotype that only older people are disabled and prevents younger people (like the person writing this) from getting diagnosed.

"Don't you want to be cured?"
no. life isn't about searching for a cure and my life isnt pitiful enough to want one. being able bodied won't make me happy, happiness comes by in other ways. don't assume that being disabled is a burden and that the first thing that a disabled person should do is try to rid themselves of it asap.

"Whats your sex life like?"
wtf. you wouldn't ask an able bodied person this what makes you think you have the right to ask a disabled person this? invasive and uncalled for. ew.

trust me, there's a lot more, but this is what came to mind first.
Mobility aids

a lot of people depend on mobility aids- wheelchairs, canes, crutches, guide dogs etc.
do not see these as a bad thing or try to prevent people from having them. these give disabled people freedom, and it is extremely ableist to flat out deny disabled people these things to help them live independently.
DO NOT TOUCH SOMEONE'S AID W/O PERMISSION!
mobility aids are an extension of a disabled person. you wouldn't want a random stranger touching your legs/eyes would you?
there are also ambulatory mobility aid users for things like crutches and wheelchairs (mainly). do not call a disabled person out for being able to walk short distances w/o a wheelchair or going a few days w/o it.

AUTISM MYTHS

autistic people cannot feel love and they do not care about other people = this is false. autistic people can and do feel love and they do care about other people. they may just express it differently. an autistic person not expressing love and affection in ways that most people are expected does not mean they do not care. they may find expressing their feelings difficult, or they may be uncomfortable with physical affection such as hugging. this does not mean they do not care
autism is a mental illness or a disease = this is false. autism is a developmental disability, not an illness or a disease. mental illnesses develop, and although can be passed through genetics, are not present from birth, unlike autism.
autism is not a disease either, because it is not contagious and cannot be "caught". autism is not a sickness or illness. it is not a bad thing and it cannot be cured.