The first D in ADHD stands for Deficit.
The DSM-5 categorizes autistic people as having a deficit in social communication. The other criteria are all stated as deficits.
Research shows that autistic people communicate with each other as well as neurotypical people communicate with each other.
But when you are the minority who communicate differently it gets labeled as deficit by the majority.
If that’s not enough, the second D in ADHD is Disorder.
Autism is Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I guess Deficit wasn’t enough.
It’s what can happen when the rules are written and you’re not in the room.
Eye contact is held as the gold standard even though for some cultures it is considered disrespectful and for some people it shuts down thinking and makes it impossible to survive the interview process.
Conversations with other autistic people is like being at an amusement park and skipping the lines. I’ve had conversations where in the first minute we get into personal topics that likely never occur in neurotypical conversations. And it’s not weird.
The amusement park line is like small talk. From an autistic perspective why would I want to wait in line when you can just walk on the next ride?
Except, if the world you live in treats waiting in line as the fun part.