“You don’t understand. You’re Autistic and having a meltdown. You don’t get social things, so you can’t possibly know what’s really going on here.” That is awareness without acceptance. That is autism being used as a bludgeon against the Autistic. That bully’s “autistic awareness” was even harder on me than if they had known nothing at all of autism. Being aware of my autism only gave them a convenient way to shut me up when I tried to stand up for someone else they were hurting.
