Every autistic person communicates in our own way. Some autistic people need support to communicate, like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC is a way to communicate without talking, like using a letter board or typing on an iPad. At ASAN, we will continue to advocate to make AAC available for anyone who needs it, and make sure that autistic people are supported to communicate in the way that works best for us.

ALT

Flashback Friday: Originally posted October 2nd, 2019

Non-speaking communication is valid!

For people who require alone time it's so important to be with someone who respects that need.

Please don’t assume my forgetfulness is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my fidgeting is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my lack of eye contact is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my not wanting to stand or sit close to you is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my cringing away from your touch is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my not wanting to touch you is a sign of disinterest

Please don’t assume my lack of verbal or nonverbal communication is a sign of disinterest

you don’t have to talk. it’s okay.

Autism doesn’t equal intellectual disability, but intellectually disabled autistic people exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

Autism doesn’t equal having a mental illness, but mentally ill autistic people exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

Many autistic people are or will become capable of working, but autistic people who are unable to manage a job exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

Many autistic people are or will become capable of living on their own, but  autistic people who will never be able to live on their own exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

Autism doesn’t equal being unable to feel affective empathy, but autistic people who are unable to feel affective empathy exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

Many autistic people are verbal, but non-verbal autistic people exist and they are just as important, human and as deserving of respect, autonomy and support as everyone else.

it is not rude to ask someone to leave you alone

it is not rude to stim

it is not rude to go nonverbal

it is not rude to turn down food

it is not rude to take longer on certain things

it is not rude to eat the same food over and over

it is not rude to not do eye contact

I’m allowed to get up and leave the room. I’m allowed to ask you to speak quieter. I am allowed to cover my ears, especially if I have asked you to speak softer and you have no listened. I’m allowed to get up and walk away without saying goodbye. Without having to explain why I need to leave. I’m allowed to lock myself in my room, to put head phones on, to not give a response if you tell me to stay, or follow me to ask what is wrong.

I’m allowed to set my boundaries. To deal with overload in whatever way I need to. To be angry and upset if people interfere with me trying to deal with overload. And I’m allowed to be nonverbal for as long as need be, without feeling guilty or ashamed.

please just stop using “low-functioning” people as leverage to be self-righteous about autism. stop bringing us up only when it’s convenient to you. you don’t care about high-support people if you only use us as tools to strike down the voices of autistic people as a whole.

“but what about the autistics who drool, don’t speak, and bang their heads on the wall?” yes, what about us? what are *you* doing to make our lives easier? telling “high-functioning” autistics that they aren’t suffering enough because we exist? your concern is absolutely fake.

every single person i know who is considered “low functioning” has learnt to communicate effectively using speech or aac

they always tell me “i understood everything”

we hear all your mean words

be respectful

silence is a form of communication

a lot of the time nothing else is needed

nonverbal autistic people can hear you

even if they dont show it

About speech abilities

Some people can speak easily.

Some people always have difficulty speaking.

Some people never speak at all.

Some people can speak, but at a cost that’s not worth it.

Some people are better off communicating in other ways.

Some people speak sometimes, and type other times.

Some people have words all the time; some don’t.

Some people can speak fluidly, but only on certain topics. (Just like how one can be fluent in some topics in a foreign language, but be unable to read the news).

Some people lose speech at certain levels of stress.

Some people rely on hand movements and stimming in order to find words.

Some people have a monotone and convey tone through motion.

Some people make a lot of mistakes with words, and rely heavily on tone to make themselves understood.

Some people rely heavily on scripts, and only sound normal when they stay on-script.

Some people use phrases from television.

Some people communicate by repeating themselves, and tend to be perceived as not communicating.

Some people say a lot of words they don’t understand, and are perceived as having meant them.

Some people substitute one word for another a lot, and don’t always realize it.

Some people can answer questions even when they’re having trouble initiating speech.

Some people who find speech easy sound odd.

Some people who find speech difficult sound normal.

You don’t really know how someone communicates until you’ve communicated with them substantially, and even then, you only know in the context you’ve communicated in. Appearances can be deceiving. 

And it’s important to be aware that all of these things exist.

reminder: i can still hear you even when i’m non-verbal/semi-verbal. just because i can’t speak doesn’t mean you can be rude and say whatever you want