Dealek

Do- do people just not just know that ‘reeeee’ jokes are an insult made specifically to patronize and mock autistic people? That they aren’t jokes at all? Or are they fully aware of the origin of that “”joke””, and just refuse to stop using it because it makes them laugh, even at the expense of the people they hurt and belittle?

I’m not professionally diagnosed, but I’ve suspected for a while now that I might fall somewhere on the spectrum. I have friends on the spectrum, whom I love and cherish. I have family on the spectrum. I get deeply uncomfortable whenever I see someone- or worse, crowds of people, like in a stream or something- respond with a ‘reeeeee’ exclamation. I can’t even fathom why someone would find it amusing. It’s supposed to emulate an uncomfortable scream of distress, a stereotype that homogenized ASD people under this one behavior because it was seen as the most obvious and annoying to neurotypicals, and was used to dehumanize people with ASD for decades. If you want to take it a step further, not only does it infantilize ASD folk, but anyone who expresses distress in a loud verbal way that is perceived as mildly irritating to anyone in the area, disabled or not! That’s like arguing that a guy yelling out he’s in pain or wants to go home couldn’t possibly have a reason for it or be justified in feeling emotions, he’s just doing it because he wants to ruin your ear drums.

Whoever started encouraging ‘reeee’ ““jokes”” to come back, shame on you. I wouldn’t be surprised if people have picked up on saying it because they’re unaware of the origin of those comments. Everyone’s human, we make mistakes. It’s only once you perpetuate the problem in full knowledge of it, that you BECOME the problem.

I REALLY don't care.