It’s funny, NT’s have no problem pathologizing autistics for our “restricted interests,” but as soon as we start framing them positively as “special interests,” suddenly NT’s start complaining: “You’re not special! Everyone has interests & hobbies!” #Autistic - ThreadSky

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social • 10 days ago

It’s funny, NT’s have no problem pathologizing autistics for our “restricted interests,” but as soon as we start framing them positively as “special interests,” suddenly NT’s start complaining: “You’re not special! Everyone has interests & hobbies!” #Autistic

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sarracopia.bsky.social•9 days ago

I loathe the term "special interests" - it feels incredibly infantilizing and demeaning - but I loathe people who try to denigrate autistic joy more.

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social•9 days ago

I use it bc it’s currently the most well-known term. I don’t have a strong attachment to it, & I understand why some people don’t like it.

I just think it’s interesting that as soon as we started claiming them as a good thing, NTs started saying they aren’t real, or that they have them too.

autismmatters.bsky.social•9 days ago

hmm, I've never heard "restricted interests" and have always felt that "special interests" was sorta pathologising, interests because as you say when they're called hobbies or specialisms they're totally kosher.

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social•9 days ago

“Restricted insterests” is the term in the DSM, used by doctors to diagnose us. I understand peoples’ issues with “special interest,” but it was originally a term created by autistics to be less stigmatizing than the DSM.

shinjiro-aragaki.bsky.social•10 days ago

I think I remember someone on Twitter doing that a few years ago.

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social•10 days ago

I’ve seen it several times, & it always succeeds at pissing me off. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU, RANDOM NT PERSON!!!

hamoftruth.bsky.social•9 days ago

Yeah, apparently my pcp has video game addiction on my chart, and I do wonder where the line is drawn but I don't revolve my every decision around gaming, it's just the hobby I choose to engage with over anything else in my copious free time I have as a left behind, disabled person.

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social•10 days ago

Autistics aren’t allowed to be happy with ourselves bc it makes non-autistics feel less-than. Only WE can be made to feel less-than! We simply cannot be permitted to have something they don’t! Drives me absolutely up the wall. #Autistic

vincentbecherer.bsky.social•10 days ago

Isn’t the whole problem at its core that they don’t like those of us with ASD getting attention for being… “different” or whatever?

You think that having something(s) that make us happy, keep us stimulated, and often express/work through emotions in healthy, non-intrusive ways, would be celebrated

wonkicorn.bsky.social•9 days ago

And yet they can't help themselves but to call disability rights in education "special ed". 🙄

rachelneedsanap.bsky.social•9 days ago

Positive terms are only ok for disability as long as everyone understands they’re just euphemisms. If disabled people start saying: “No, we actually MEAN all that stuff we said about being equal to you,” abled society can’t handle it.

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