What happens when you say “no way–you can’t be autistic”

Yeah. This.

the silent wave

“No way, not you.  You can’t be autistic!”

We know that you mean well.  We know that you don’t want to offend us.  We know that your intentions are pure.  We know that your heart is in the right place.  (At least, those attributes had better pertain to you, if this person trusts you enough to open up to you about such a personal and vulnerable subject!  Sorry if that comes across a little standoffish; I’m rather protective of my fellow spectrum peeps.)

We know that you may feel awkward, not knowing what to say or how to respond (welcome to the club, by the way; that’s how we, the people on the Asperger’s/autism spectrum typically live our entire lives).  We know that you feel pressured to respond appropriately, to respond in the “right” way, to be politically correct, to tread carefully.  Society has its Expectations, after all.

Except that…

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