after a long time of waiting and knowing, i recently got officially diagnosed with autism!
however, it’s safe to say that if it wasn’t for the silly little cartoon character above, i may never have made the big steps forward that were opening up to others about my struggles, asking for help, and eventually obtaining said diagnosis.
fred’s portrayal, especially in mystery incorporated of course, taught me that i am always worthy of love and respect — weird interests, strong emotions, awkward communication and all. the confirmation by mitch watson may not have been worded so well, but the fact that this canon representation exists has been more important to me than i can ever express, and i’m sure that this goes for many other neurodivergent scooby doo fans who identify with fred in some way.
so this doodle is just a small, self-indulgent love letter to a character who has helped me so much, and continues to be a huge source of comfort and inspiration in my life. thank you for everything, fred! 💙