Here you go! Hope this works :) The first flag uses the same template as the main autism flag, while the second uses the disability flag template.

I also made the main autism flag using the disability flag template. For funsies

I want to emphasize that this post is not encouraging doctor shopping. It is encouraging discussing other possible diagnoses who's criteria you fit which will gain you accommodations you might need as an undiagnosed autistic person without pursuing diagnosis

For speech therapy, a certified speech pathologist can assess you for any number of speech impediments as well as selective mutism, and insurance will cover care for these diagnoses. While some treatment approaches differ for those on the spectrum, this will allow you to access a level of care for speech and language difficulties (this is actually what happened for me as a young child before I was diagnosed)

For school or work accommodations, anxiety and ocd diagnoses (which are often comorbid with asd) can get you extra time on assignments, access to a quiet room during work hours, extra time when test taking, access to a quiet test taking room, and more. A diagnosis of sensory processing disorder can get you access to a quiet room during work hours, a quiet room for test taking, and potentially the ability to type your notes in classrooms that otherwise do not allow it. All of these can be diagnosed by a GP or psychiatrist.

You can qualify for disability payments with a diagnosis of any of the above, as well as any number of other autism comorbidities such as depression.

Any of the above diagnoses *may* allow you access to either a note taker or a recording device during classes or work meetings. (I am unsure as I had access to these explicitly as an autism accommodation, though my cousin has access to them as an adhd accommodation)

Autism resources you may face barriers to without a proper diagnosis:

Autism grants

Occupational therapy

AAC payment aids

Proper AAC training

Access to aids which can help with ADLs and IADLs

I have autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome (I know about Hans Asperger but idk how else to call it, ASD feels so "general" for me), and was curious what books you'd recommend on things like socialising, but not just conversations, but also specific things like banter and flirting.

Feels a bit embarrassing to say, but I still have not yet entirely grasped the concept of flirting, I get the idea, but want to understand what it exactly is, if there is a goal and why, and just generally want to learn what makes it so fun as I find it very fascinating.

Thing is, when I try to look up books like these, it's either very surface level information being explained in children's language, or it's books about (how to date someone with) autism aimed at neurotypicals.

(idk if this even counts as elopement anymore because i can eventually notice that i've wondered off)

Originally, I wanted to post nothing like I usually do with autism acceptance month but then I realized something and knew it was time for me to talk about my autism: It's that I'm part of the 'old' crowd. WIth old I mean, not my age, but the differences of the community.

It's like the 'old' crowd in the gay community who can remember a time before ANY country had legalized gay marriage, and some were resorting to things like gays marrying lesbians and being each other's beard.

It's like the 'old' crowd in the trans community, who can remember a time when bottom surgeries were still rare, more experimental then they were now and all the drama of when it 'first became a thing'.

I can remember a time before people began pointing out that autism can be very different in women and that the diagnostic system is mostly aimed at male symptoms. Before people started saying, 'Who knows, maybe autism occurs just as often as with women but they're just underdiagnosed'. Being diagnosed at the age of 5, which is 20 years ago, I grew up in a boys club. I've already mentioned in comments to mutuals, what a HELL that was once we all hit puberty (poor social skills combined with girls being at best 10% of the student body and puberty are a TERRIBLE combo. I literally had a legend created about my vagina like one of isekai hentai.) I can remember a time before the diagnostic system had scrapped subtypes. Nowadays you just have autism. Because of push-back from the Aspergers crowd who didn't wanted the 'autism' label, people still remember what Aspergers was. Other subtypes are already being forgotten.

My diagnosis was PDD-NOS, and I've actually had to sit down and explain what this meant in the autistic community because people don't know what the fuck PDD-NOS was. PDD-NOS basically was the diagnosis for people who were on the spectrum, but did not fully meet the criteria and showed a few key differences with the subtype they resembled the most. Basically, it was the misfit label within the autistic community. Which was why some people also called it Atypical Autism. As HF PDD-NOS, this meant I did not fully meet Aspergers criteria, and we HF PDD-NOS typically have problems with speech and memory that they didn't (when it comes to memory and intelligence, I'm kind of the opposite of a savant autistic). I've also seen articles and heard people say back in the day that kids with PDD NOS were more prone to daydreaming and being imaginative as Aspergers. As a tween, I liked to see us as the Luna Lovegoods opposed to the Hermione Grangers of the autistic intellectual. But PDD NOS was a subtype meant for everyone who didn't meet the criteria for the 4 more typical autism subtypes, and those with a intellectual disability outnumbered us. I actually have been rejected from a PDD NOS treatment program as a kid, solely because I didn't had an intellectual disability. When subtypes existed, I felt like I didn't even fit in with others on the spectrum, as I wasn't an Aspie or had an intellectual disability. I cheered when they were scrapped. I finally felt like I had a community. Like doctors were seeing how hurt we misfits were, and that it needed to change. I'm still happy about that, 10 years later. Then I am not even talking about how whilst there's still a stigma, it has been reduced and social media helps with people being more informed. People are stil shit, but nowadays more people know they're assholes and will get called out for being ableist. Even casually like the moms at the block crying about how it's a 'waste of such a pretty little girl (or boy)' when the child gets diagnosed with autism (people were seriously acting like I was diagnosed with leprosy when my mom informed them of my diagnosis). I am grateful for these things changing, because it used to be shitty. I am happy for all of you who get diagnosed in a better time, and Gen Alpha and all those who get to grow up living with a better diagnostic system. But I remember the old one, and all of its problems.

IS AUTISMSPEAKS A GOOD SOURCE FOR LEARNING ABOUT AUTISM, AND CAN I GET A FEW OTHER SOURCES FOR THE PAPER? 

Also, is anyone who sees this has autism, can you answer some of these questions?

-Describe autism.

-How does it affect your life?

-How do you compensate for it/function in spite of it?