I'm younger, born in 1968. I was lucky in that my parents noticed that I was "unusual", but I was still accepted for who I was rather than them constantly wanting to change (or "correct") me.
In case of interest, I tagged a few other articles as "elated to "Autism".
A story I remembered while writing a different note.
While I only received the results in 2024 from my formal Autism assessment, I have been Autistic since I was born in 1968.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s while at University, my Autism would regularly cause someone else's “gaydar” to misfire. I would be asked about dating/etc. While I had no interest in dating a masculine presenting person, it never occurred to me to be angry or ask what I was supposed to do with their penis if we were in bed with them (what an IMHO non-consensual situation for “heterosexuals” to imagine imposing themselves in.) I would indicate that I was flattered, but not interested.
I was vaguely aware of how dangerous it was for someone’s “gaydar” to misfire in that era, although I hadn’t yet fully understood heteronormativity of cisnormativity at the time. In fact, it was only around my Autism assessment that I started to go to the Ottawa Pride parade, as I didn’t see the connection to me. I thought I was an outsider to that community, but the more I learn about normative Canadian identity/values/culture/worldviews, the more I recognize myself in that community.
Thank you so much for engaging!
I'm younger, born in 1968. I was lucky in that my parents noticed that I was "unusual", but I was still accepted for who I was rather than them constantly wanting to change (or "correct") me.
In case of interest, I tagged a few other articles as "elated to "Autism".
https://r.flora.ca/t/autism
Although, as I'm still learning, my entire life from birth to death is technically "related to Autism" :-)
A story I remembered while writing a different note.
While I only received the results in 2024 from my formal Autism assessment, I have been Autistic since I was born in 1968.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s while at University, my Autism would regularly cause someone else's “gaydar” to misfire. I would be asked about dating/etc. While I had no interest in dating a masculine presenting person, it never occurred to me to be angry or ask what I was supposed to do with their penis if we were in bed with them (what an IMHO non-consensual situation for “heterosexuals” to imagine imposing themselves in.) I would indicate that I was flattered, but not interested.
I was vaguely aware of how dangerous it was for someone’s “gaydar” to misfire in that era, although I hadn’t yet fully understood heteronormativity of cisnormativity at the time. In fact, it was only around my Autism assessment that I started to go to the Ottawa Pride parade, as I didn’t see the connection to me. I thought I was an outsider to that community, but the more I learn about normative Canadian identity/values/culture/worldviews, the more I recognize myself in that community.