Autistic and Proud!

I am a proud autistic.

I am happy to belong to a clan that understands me and doesn’t readily question my motives and intentions.

I am pleased to be part of a unit. I no longer feel like a lonely floating piece of a missing whole.

I am proud to be myself in completion, after decades of wondering who I truly was and where parts of me had gone.

I am overjoyed to be connected to other like-minded and like-hearted folks; even as we reflect unique differences in our representation of self, our personalities, interests, and lifestyles, we embrace a commonality—that of acceptance of differences.

I am proud to be a part of a movement that celebrates uniqueness, authenticity, and honesty, that doesn’t dodge around what needs to be said or create games in order to appease an inner insecurity.

I am ignited by the passion of thousands of people who are finding their own voice, their own cause, and their own reason to continue onward.

I am touched by the numbers of individuals who are finding comfort in a collective that finally gets them and moved by the enormity of support found in autistic corners.

I am forever grateful for the thousands of bright stars guiding the way to those of us that remain lost at sea, feeling confused, forlorn, and alone on this strange planet.

I am motivated by the young autistics who are reaching out with their unique charm, creativity, and energy. And I am enlightened by the late-age diagnosed autistics speaking their stories—their struggle, their journey.

I am proud to be autistic in a time where it’s okay to be who I was born to be. When it’s okay to love and express myself as is.

I am proud that differences are celebrated, not locked away in a dark closet.

I am proud of my autistic brothers and sisters who are what you see at face value. Who shine in their authenticity with a courageous light forged through trials and tribulations.

I am proud to be associated with autistics who have stood their ground and followed their calling, regardless of backlash.

I am proud to be amongst a people who hold me as one of their own and don’t judge me on appearances, first impression, or my unique “quirks.”

I am proud to be autistic. I am proud to be human. And this pride leaks out, overflowing into love and appreciation for all differences, all people.

I am proud to be an individual with individualized attributes. I am proud to be a person who is autistic, who is a friend, who is a child of this incredible universe.

There is hope. There is love. And there is treasure to be found in the heart and mind of each of us, regardless of our differences.

#AutismWithRespect

Sam (@aspergersgirls) is the author of Everyday Aspergers, a groundbreaking book, 10 years in the making, that explores life through the eyes of a late-diagnosed autistic mother and teacher.

“There has never been another book like Everyday Aspergers. In prose that is alternatingly playful, witty, brave, heartbreaking, and encouraging, Samantha Craft explores her experience of life on the spectrum in meticulous and comprehensive detail. Many parts of the book — including “116 Reasons I Know I Have Asperger’s Syndrome” and her description of her journey to “Planet Aspie” and return to Earth — are classic, stand-alone set pieces that rank with the very best writing from autistic self-advocates. This book is a gift for autistic people in general, for autistic women in specific, and for neurotypical readers who want to become more effective allies. By exploring her autism, Craft teaches us all how to be more compassionate and alive human beings.” — Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity