I am on the autism spectrum. I’m well into middle age.
Being autistic is like being in a poker game where you keep getting dealt hands that are high-card, and everyone else is getting straights, flushes, or even just pairs, and you only get out when you’re bankrupt. Yeah, I play the hand I’m dealt, and I’m going to lose every goddamn time.
EDIT: A better analogy is gonna be Pinnochio (or A. I. Artificial Intelligence). I’m never going to be a real boy (any no, it’s not because I’m AFAB and also a gender essentialist). No matter how hard I work at being better, there’s no good fae that’s going to come along and use their fae magic to make me a real boy. I’m never going to have the experiences of the real children, because I’m simply not one of them. I can ape their external characteristics, but I can’t be them. While this–being autistic–is a result of evolution (it’s likely a non-beneficial genetic mutation), humans have largely evolved to survive as a social species, to have close relationships and tribal affiliations. I’m always going to be on the outside, rather than part of an in-group.
Unrelated to your comment, but you should probably do some research on the gender essentialism front. We’ve known gender and sex are different for a long time, and should treat trans people as their gender, not their biological sex.
You misunderstand; I’m making fun of the people that claim that gender and biological sex are the same thing. I am not a gender essentialist, nor am I AFAB.
I am on the autism spectrum. I’m well into middle age.
Being autistic is like being in a poker game where you keep getting dealt hands that are high-card, and everyone else is getting straights, flushes, or even just pairs, and you only get out when you’re bankrupt. Yeah, I play the hand I’m dealt, and I’m going to lose every goddamn time.
EDIT: A better analogy is gonna be Pinnochio (or A. I. Artificial Intelligence). I’m never going to be a real boy (any no, it’s not because I’m AFAB and also a gender essentialist). No matter how hard I work at being better, there’s no good fae that’s going to come along and use their fae magic to make me a real boy. I’m never going to have the experiences of the real children, because I’m simply not one of them. I can ape their external characteristics, but I can’t be them. While this–being autistic–is a result of evolution (it’s likely a non-beneficial genetic mutation), humans have largely evolved to survive as a social species, to have close relationships and tribal affiliations. I’m always going to be on the outside, rather than part of an in-group.
Unrelated to your comment, but you should probably do some research on the gender essentialism front. We’ve known gender and sex are different for a long time, and should treat trans people as their gender, not their biological sex.
You misunderstand; I’m making fun of the people that claim that gender and biological sex are the same thing. I am not a gender essentialist, nor am I AFAB.