Based on what I experienced just now.

Autism Awareness is people just being aware. Nothing else. They still don't understand #Autistics.

Autism Acceptance is taking an effort to understand and to reach out. To work with.

“Dungeons & Dragons introduces its first canonically autistic character”

‘Designer Makenzie De Armas discusses putting a little bit of herself into the game’

Asteria is “a princess turned paladine”.

A very good list.

That's 48 out of 63 for me. ^_^

A great read.

Even before I learned I'm Actually Autistic, I've always viewed “friends” as multiple layers of circles.

From outer to inner:

Strangers

Acquaintances

Friends

Outer Circle

Inner Circle (a.k.a. best friend; best buddy; partner-in-crime)

Relatives

Family

This method has proven useful when, in the 21st Century, the word “friends” changed in meaning and value to mean “acquaintances”, instead of “friend friend”.

How do you define the term, “Openly Autistic”?

Is it an autistic person who rarely masks?

Or, an autistic who isn't afraid and/or shy to share that they are actually autistic?

Or, an autistic person who is active in the autism acceptance “movement” (if we can call it that)?

Or, perhaps, an autistic who were interviewed and disclosed they're autistic?

Maybe you have other considerations or criteria that defines “openly autistic” for you?

NOTE: Being openly autistic is a choice and is not for everyone. I think it is safe to say that we all face discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice for being actually autistics, thus, most choose not to be open about it.

However, recently, there has been a slow growth in numbers of openly autistics, and like with most things in life, we have different criteria, definitions, and cultural considerations.

Thus, I am curious what you think, personally or maybe your immediate environment or organisation, is an openly autistic person. Or, when do you consider one as openly autistic.

Again, this is not about if an autistic person should be openly autistic or not. ^_^

Thank you for your interesting insights!

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Autism symbol by: MissLunaRose12

License: CC By-SA 4.0 International

The button pins I bought online recently via Shopee.

This week, I had enough and "exploded". I'm just tired. Things are too much already. I want peace, and I instead I got the reverse.

I'm that type of Autistic that is more like Spock. Controlled emotions. Logic rules. I don't cry unless I'm in meltdown. However, for the past few weeks, I've been crying randomly, I was not even in meltdown mode 90% of those times.

There are reasons of course, and it boils down to emotions. Remember I said I'm a Spock type?

It's not that I don't care if someone is going through something. I look at it from a logical perspective, like, you know, Spock. I don't let my emotions out, it's locked inside.

However, the past weeks, I can no longer keep these emotions locked. I lost control. And being Autistic, that means intense emotions. Which, again, is like Spock.

Spock the human have no idea how to control his emotions. Like him, I have no idea either. As far as I can remember, I've always locked my emotions, so now that it's bursting out uncontrollably, I don't have a single idea how to manage these intense emotions.

So far, nothing on the "angry" emotions yet, hopefully not, because you know, people will whisper behind you that "you have anger management issues" when it is not even the case. But still…

I need to find a local support group, fast.

I never thought I actually will need one. I mean, I've learned to find ways. But now? None of it works.

I have no explanation.

Until I saw this shared by EmergentDivergence via the AT protocol (a.k.a. Bluesky):

Perfectly described me.

I am experiencing an Autistic Burnout.

That is what's happening.