Stereotypical Treatment

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Have you ever had someone treat like stereotypical autistic person instead of treating as an individual? No 2 autistic people are the same, but some people seem to think we are.

I will give you an example of this:

Today, I went in a dark room and someone was following me because apparently, "every single autistic person needs supervision at all times". SOME autistic people do, but not all. Then she got mad at me because I was in the dark and I told her that I like the dark. I do, truly. She said "You like the dark?" in a way that portrayed that liking the dark was wrong or something, because so many autistic people are afraid of the dark (apparently). She thought I was lying, or something. She probably thought I wouldn't pick up on her tone of voice because I am autistic.

Why do people go by stereotypes?

This is one of the reasons why I hate telling me about my difference/disability/condition, whatever you call it.

Have you ever told someone who had autism and they treated in a stereotypical way?

Stereotyping takes less work than actually learning about autism. That's my theory.

I'd just glare at a person that would treat me like that or talk to them in my usual way which often leaves them confused.

I was rather surprised awhile ago when a lady at the disability office at my university began talking to me in that baby speak voice. She used baby tone and small words and was very... what... she just spoke to me as though I were two. I was confused... she works in a disability office... she ought to know better than to talk to me like that, but apparently no.

It is ignorance that does it. People just do not know and that makes them uncomfortable and then they act like silly people, or rude people, or whatnot. They often fall back on misinformation because they just do not know what else to do... a lot of people like to have a preset idea of how things are, how people are... and they cling to those presets even when they are wrong because it is better than the unknown? Just an idea... I do not know the finer mechanics of it all... I do think it is some kind of mix of ignorance and discomfort of the unknown.

If she were truly stereotyping she would know that autistics can't lie.

It sounded like she was trying to help though. This person had really no reason to believe that autistics might all behave differently. It is a disorder with defining characteristics. If you encounter something of this nature, I think it is normal to apply your past experiences with it the next time.

People aren't born with a definition of autism in their heads.

She said "sorry" today.

She is actually a nice a person, she doesn't doesn't "get it".

I have dealt with worse people, this was just recent example.