Last updated on November 26, 2023
The first autistic lawyer in…
The first autistic actor to…
The first autistic scientist specializing in…
The first autistic…. The moment I read that phrase, I know the rest of the story is sloppy journalism and probably inspiration porn — those feel-good stories about how amazing it is that “someone with autism” can accomplish a goal.
As long as there have been humans, there have been autistic individuals. Neurodiversity is not new: the labels are.
There were autistic lawyers, actors, musicians, painters, sculptures, architects, writers, doctors, scientists, teachers, and autistics of every other vocation / avocation in the past.
What changed over the last 40 years are the diagnostic criteria and awareness of autistic individuals. Apparently, autistics are being magically discovered throughout society. Shocking.
As a person, I don’t want to be labeled “autistic writer” or “autistic scholar” or “autistic {fill in the blank}” because that feels like putting an asterisk next to whatever I accomplish. “Oh, he’s an autistic writer!” What does that mean?
I am not the “first” anything and I’m okay with that. I don’t want to be the “first autistic professor at University X” or some such silly thing. I simply want to be whatever I am now and into the future. I’d rather my works define me first, not my social skills (or lack thereof).
Can we stop the fallacy that there is a wave of autistic firsts? Let’s celebrate accomplishments, but they don’t need to be hyperbolic stories of success “in spite of autism.”
Autism awareness is exhausting, one reason I’m not as active this month. I’ve posted these rants annually. Adding a 2019 rant doesn’t change anything.
Good for those who are accomplishing great things. But, long before we diagnosed and labeled autism, there were “awkward” people doing many of the same things.