NPR did a story on me and my blog

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Autism Gives Woman an 'Alien View' of Social Brains

So that's the end of Internet anonymity for me. I'm kind of scared. They're already alternately claiming I've changed their lives and accusing me of not really having autism, and I feel like I just want to shove my medical records at them and run. What the heck did I just get myself into?

That's cool, Callista. How did that come about? I'm going to go listen to it.

They apparently just found my blog and liked it, quite possibly linked from here. WP is a very well-known web site.

Well, I always thought you expressed yourself well here, so I think it's a good thing.

How funny, this person still clings to stereotypes and myths.

That is great! (Although internet anonymity did just end the minute anyone clicks on the story, which gives everything but your telephone number.) For the record, I found your blog by googling before I found WrongPlanet, so maybe so did they. It really is a good blog.

I have to say, from reading you on here and seeing how you were quoted they did not do you justice.

People can say what they like. We are, by nature, misunderstood. We will continue to be unless people stop assuming that they understand autism. It certainly helps that someone like you would come along and challenge the misperception.

Yeah, I imagine that is kind of scary. Good work though. Congratulations on the recognition!



Just one, from what I saw, and that's gonna happen on the net no matter who you are. If you claim to be [blank], someone will always question it. No matter what [blank] is. There is always that minority of crap talkers ready and waiting to knock anyone getting recognition or something else they don't have. It's their way of getting their own, and it's pretty childish. The vast majority of us know that. I hope you can pull up your boot straps and learn to just let 'em "talk to the hand."

I think it's very cool, that you got some recognition.

I agree - I really enjoy your blog - there's always something interesting and new to learn. Congrats on the recognition

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Cool - raising awareness about Autism (Asperger / the ADHDs and so on).

Don't worry - you'll likely be quoted correctly and given the nature of quotes, quoted incorrectly too.

You'll be interpreted correctly and, likely given that a few human beings deny the existence of autism completely, interpreted incorrectly also.

That IS cool. I like your blog too, Callista. Like most media, they skewed your perspective to suit their agenda, I think... but I believe your blog sets people straight.

Give it some time for all the buzz to die down and just ignore the haters... I know it's hard, but try not to respond at all to your blog in the meantime, and if you need to, just disable comments on your blog for now.

I had a friend who was paralyzed in the bathroom of an airplane when there was turbulence and there were people who commented on the online articles about it with all sorts of hateful things, most of them saying she deserved it either for not being in her seat or for being an immigrant.

The point is, people will say mean things because they can or because they have their own life experiences that they are bringing to this one. None of these strangers actually knows you. Stick close to the people who can remind you of who you are and who will ground you in yourself.

I'm glad most of my blogs on the internet are full of boring technical specifications relating to cars and computers or just some song lyrics hinting at my current emotional state. I'll never be famous YAY!

You're not how I pictured at all (of course, I didn't actually picture you as having a face), and your name is vastly different from what I thought it would be. I really pictured you as being somewhat more top-heavy and having black hair. Short black hair. I always figured you'd be shaped far differently, though. (That is, when I wasn't picturing you as not being physical at all, but instead being made of intellect.)

Most of the people who spend their time trolling people with Asperger's/autism (i.e. the 4chan/Encyclopedia Dramatica crowd) aren't NPR listeners. You'll probably be fine.

I am so proud of you Callista! Keep up the good work! And try not to be too scared........