What do you wish everyone knew about autism?

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What do you wish everyone knew about autism?

I wish that many people were more educated about what autism really is. One main thing that I wish people knew about autism is that it effects each person differently. I feel that many people may assume that just because someone is autistic, they have the exact same types of struggles or  personality traits as others. It is even confusing for me to be myself, when I feel that there are so many labels put in place, restricting me from having my own identity. I strongly believe that just because someone is autistic, it should not mean that this label automatically defines you as a person. Each person with autism has their own set of struggles, interests, and personality traits just as everyone else does. For me, being autistic is a huge part of who I am, and I feel that it is up to me to define this, and not up to other people!

Another important thing that I wish people knew, is about making friends. Yes people with autism sometimes prefer to spend time alone, but that does not mean that friendships are unimportant to them. I personally like to have time away from my friends and just have some time to myself. However it does not mean that I always want to be left alone, just that I sometimes need my own space. Another reason could be because I have a hard time expressing myself to others. I may have the words that I want to say, prepared, but when I begin talking I’m at a loss for words. This does not mean that I’m uninterested in making or keeping friends, just that I may sometimes need help starting the conversation. I think that it would help others to feel more understood, if they would be able to express in their own way, what is comfortable for them personally.

Last but not least, I think yet another important thing to know is that it is ok to have very specific or uncommon interests. People often seem uninterested when I continuously talk about music or dolls, but to me it is very interesting and exiting to share with people. It is sometimes hard for me to talk with people about different topics, although I know that not many people like the same things as I do. To someone with autism, having very unique interests is something that they are very passionate about! I am lucky that most of my family supports my hobbies, and I hope to someday find others who are as equally passionate about them as I am. I think that if people at least knew these three things about autism, then we would all be one step closer to being  more inclusive of people with autism, and we could be even more accepting and understanding of the autism community as a whole!