Alex Plank, John Robison, and Ari Ne'eman are NOT Autistic

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They never needed disability services. They talk normally in public. My mom was the president of her sorority and she says that Plank communicates much better than her!

I needed disability services. . .

Does your mom have autism? Because being the president of a sorority does not mean you don't have autism.

It's also important to remember that some people suffer a great deal by "passing" or appearing to not have problems while communicating. It's exhausting, draining, and can even put distance between the person who passes and those around them. A person who can successfully blend in with the majority population is even in jeopardy of losing touch with their own identity. Who am I? What do I really like? When am I really comfortable? This is a sad state that many people have to deal with- not just "successful" autistics, but people on the LBGTQ spectrum who pass, people in a race minority who pass, and people who pass as a social class that they are not.

Appearances seem to be all there is when you are looking AT a person, but we have to consider what it might be like for the person inside. They could be suffering far worse than we are. Or be in a wonderful state of being, despite looking pitiful. You just can't judge from appearances.

I think OP is a troll.

Probably so, but I think it's important to get out the message for the other people who read the thread.

Thank you for posting this. I had chronic chest pains from about age 13-23, which turned into more severe bodily pains, due to anxiety from constant overload and always feeling like I had to be someone else, because I had no idea why I was different. There was nothing "wrong" with me during medical evaluations, and no one ever suggested even panic attacks or anything else. So people can need support and never get it, especially if you're used to pushing yourself and pretending.

I think this also brings up the question of nurturing and child rearing, which never seem to be a part of these discussions. Growing up with some very bitter narcissistic people, I learned pretty quickly to give what is supposed to be the right answer. That doesn't mean I don't have communication issues, sensory issues, etc. If I wanted to sleep with the window shut in summer because it bothered me, it just wants going to happen, unless I wanted to be told how horrible I was as a person. I'm sure a few others here can relate.

I think everyone who reads this thread knows it's just a troll

Clearly

Word. I was in a sorority and held a variety of positions.

Since we are feeding the troll, might as well feed the troll lard

Does Neurodiversity Whitewash Autism? by John Robison

This can be a difficult thing for people with more pronounced autism or their parents and family members. But I have come to realize that my level of autism is not where the bar is set.

It probably won't do any good to explain. However, most people like me have a more mild form of autism. Just because they don't act very autistic doesn't mean they aren't at all. We still have problems just like any others, even if those problems aren't the same. This is one of the things that bothers me about being mild or having proper communication as well. People assume you can't be autistic because you can communicate better than most. I know this isn't the case with a lot of the ones here since some have poor social skills, but I just mean that because we can talk... it makes us seem less autistic. I've run into this problem a lot, and I still do on a daily basis. I also received very little disability services, but it's not that I didn't need them. I just couldn't get access to them. I learned on my own how to manage my autism. You also have to take into consideration that autism is a spectrum. This means that no two people who have the condition will be the same way.

Just because people like me, and like Alex, don't seem autistic doesn't mean we aren't. We've just learned to manage it in a much better way as we've grown older and wiser.

Sorry, I felt like this had to be said.

Another "someone's experience with autism is different than mine so they are not autistic"-thread.

Whine-whine, boo-hoo.

Add to that the narcissistic attitude that OP is some sort of "autism expert" who reserves the right to credential-check everyone on the autism spectrum based on their flawless opinion.

If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.

Good one excellent!