The Identity Theory of Autism: How Autistic Identity Is Experienced Differently
neuroclastic.com
Terra Vance posits that Autistic people experience empathy and emotions differently because the way autistic identity is structured differs from non-autistic people’s identity constructs.

I‘ve not related to something this much in a long time. I‘ve been treated as a traitor for this so often all over my life. I can’t believe that someone actually has a theory about this that is not esoteric in some way.

  • ᗪIᐯEᖇGEᑎTᕼᗩᖇᗰOᑎIᑕᔕEnglish
    4·
    1 year ago

    Thanks for sharing this!
    I’m thinking this must be one of the defining characteristics that is shared by most ND people. It’s not new to me and my self-experience but finally there i have someone who put it in clear words, and it explains a lot about ND social functioning.
    Also read that “Grand Emotions” article which is being linked to in the article, which has the underlying reason (“truth” and such as primary(!) emotions that’s an interesting take).
    I can use this well for explaining what it means, “a fundamental difference not a disability in understanding”.

    Edit … And also there’s some light on my confusion with the meaning of the word community. For me it would mean much more than “grouping of people with similar interest” but more like “communal”. Maybe i shouldn’t call the thing i want to find/co-op a “neurodiverse community” at all.

    • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.comOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Thats very valuable insight imo. The pathologizing of autistic people is rough in my perception as well.