Note For Anyone Writing About Me

Guide to Writing About Me

I am an Autistic person,not a person with autism. I am also not Aspergers. The diagnosis isn't even in the DSM anymore, and yes, I agree with the consolidation of all autistic spectrum stuff under one umbrella. I have other issues with the DSM.

I don't like Autism Speaks. I'm Disabled, not differently abled, and I am an Autistic activist. Self-advocate is true, but incomplete.

Citing My Posts

MLA: Zisk, Alyssa Hillary. "Post Title." Yes, That Too. Day Month Year of post. Web. Day Month Year of retrieval.

APA: Zisk, A. H. (Year Month Day of post.) Post Title. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://yesthattoo.blogspot.com/post-specific-URL.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Don't Sweat The Merely Weird!

Also known as "I Do That Too!"

When I ask my child if he wants a chip, he excitedly answers, "CHIP!"
Don't worry too much- I consistently do the same.
When my child is happy, she jumps and flaps.
Mine jumps and claps! It's so embarrassing!
Don't worry too much- I still do that in college.
My child won't eat scrambled eggs, no matter how much I cajole.
Don't worry too much- I can't eat them either!
I can't get my daughter to wear jeans or anything with snaps or buttons!
Don't worry too much- that's what over the head T-shirts and pajama pants and cotton knit dresses are for.
(Can you tell that I can't wear those either?)
I can't get my child to use normal toothpaste.
Don't worry- wait, you mean mint toothpaste? That stuff is gross!
(Sorry! I mean I can't use it either!)
After school, my son sits in the corner and rocks. I don't understand.
Don't worry too much- I do the same when I'm stressed. Yes, still.
My son won't look me in the eye!
Don't worry too much- I won't look you in the eye either!
(Apparently, one of my teachers also won't.  I didn't notice because I don't look either.)
My son makes strange hand motions when he talks- some people make fun of him for it!
Don't worry too much- mine are far more than just when I talk. As soon as I come home, I grab my blanket with the satin edges and runs the edges between my fingers. I'm wearing that blanket to shreds!
Don't worry too much- I wear mine like a cape at home. Just make sure she doesn't try to take mine, and we should be fine.




Don't worry too much about the merely weird. The weird is weird, by definition of course, but those won't end any futures. Save your energy for what causes problems besides embarrassment. Help us get skills, real skills that will apply wherever we go. Help us learn what we need to know in ways we understand, and help us be Autistic better instead of less autistic. I will never be less Autistic than I am, but I can always get better at being Autistic.

1 comment:

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