Some time ago, I found out someone was talking about me behind my back. No good is ever heard behind one’s back and this time was no exception. The charges against me were as follows – manipulative, scheming, fake.
Let’s ignore the irony of not bringing this concern about my authenticity to my face. Let’s leave the unpacking of why women are called fake – never men – for another article. Because I want to admit something.
I, an autistic woman, am fake. All of us are.
By Catrin Lawrence
When you’re neurotypical, it’s easy to forget that there are ‘rules’ in society; they become second nature before you’ve even learnt how to read. When you’re autistic, instincts are rules. Just as everyone learns how to read, us autistics learn how to make eye contact, engage in small talk, bring some flavour (not too much, mind) to our facial expressions. We work out the patterns that get people to smile and nod, make them like us, or at least not call us names and shove us into traffic.