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How do you feel about the autism creature?

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How do you feel about the autism creature?
Never heard of it 60%  60%  [ 18 ]
I like it 17%  17%  [ 5 ]
I don't like it 13%  13%  [ 4 ]
I neither like it nor dislike it 10%  10%  [ 3 ]
Total votes : 30

GreenVelvetWorm
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18 Nov 2023, 6:39 pm

(Also known as the tbh creature)

I think it's cute, I kind of like it. It seems like a meme that could be used to make fun of autistic people but I almost always see it used by autistic people to express their own experiences



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18 Nov 2023, 8:25 pm

Yippee makes me smile.


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18 Nov 2023, 8:26 pm

Never heard of it.


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funeralxempire
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18 Nov 2023, 8:32 pm

IsabellaLinton wrote:
Never heard of it.


Image


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18 Nov 2023, 8:34 pm

Doesn't look familar either.

Mine would have its eyes shut or downcast.


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jamie0.0
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18 Nov 2023, 8:43 pm

I suppose it does have benefit, a way for us autists to form a collective identity

I do hope it doesn't lead to the wrong assumption. That we are creatures and therefore inhuman

I'm guessing they (does autism creature have a gender?) acts as some sort of mascot. And having a mascot can make me feel proud.



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18 Nov 2023, 8:48 pm

Why does it even need a body?
We're entirely cerebral.

Also why is it white?


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funeralxempire
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18 Nov 2023, 8:53 pm

IsabellaLinton wrote:
Why does it even need a body?
We're entirely cerebral.

Also why is it white?


It started off as just a funny line drawing, it's white because it wasn't coloured in. It has a body because it's much more difficult to draw a purely intellectual being.


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18 Nov 2023, 9:28 pm

jamie0.0 wrote:
I suppose it does have benefit, a way for us autists to form a collective identity

I do hope it doesn't lead to the wrong assumption. That we are creatures and therefore inhuman

I'm guessing they (does autism creature have a gender?) acts as some sort of mascot. And having a mascot can make me feel proud.


From what I understand it was originally just meant to be silly doodle, without any association to autism. But some people connected to it and it became an unofficial autistic mascot in some internet spaces.

The fact that it looks like an animal and has a blank stare could be seen as perpetuating some negative autism stereotypes, so I could understand some people not identifying with it. For me personally it feels accurate, because I've always felt kind of like a "creature" because of my disconnect with nt people. And in practice people seem to use it as an affectionate representation of their own autism symptoms



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18 Nov 2023, 9:38 pm

It looks stupid. I could draw something much better with my eyes closed. It's yet another negative stereotype of autistic people, that we all look like undeveloped "thing" that stares creepily off into space.

There's one mascot that is cool, and that's Autisticat. It's a cat that has its tail curled into a heart shape and wears a ribbon shaped like the infinity symbol around its neck. And it HATES puzzle pieces!



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18 Nov 2023, 9:38 pm

GreenVelvetWorm wrote:
The fact that it looks like an animal and has a blank stare could be seen as perpetuating some negative autism stereotypes, so I could understand some people not identifying with it. For me personally it feels accurate, because I've always felt kind of like a "creature" because of my disconnect with nt people. And in practice people seem to use it as an affectionate representation of their own autism symptoms


As an animal with a blank stare I feel very recognized. :heart:


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18 Nov 2023, 9:44 pm

GreenVelvetWorm wrote:
jamie0.0 wrote:
I suppose it does have benefit, a way for us autists to form a collective identity

I do hope it doesn't lead to the wrong assumption. That we are creatures and therefore inhuman

I'm guessing they (does autism creature have a gender?) acts as some sort of mascot. And having a mascot can make me feel proud.


From what I understand it was originally just meant to be silly doodle, without any association to autism. But some people connected to it and it became an unofficial autistic mascot in some internet spaces.

The fact that it looks like an animal and has a blank stare could be seen as perpetuating some negative autism stereotypes, so I could understand some people not identifying with it. For me personally it feels accurate, because I've always felt kind of like a "creature" because of my disconnect with nt people. And in practice people seem to use it as an affectionate representation of their own autism symptoms


Fair enough, I suppose in cases like yours, identifying with this character could be emotionally beneficial. And having others identify with it could make it really comforting.

I may have read too much into it, the negative stereotypes of autism are a part of life it seems. Even without these symbols.



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18 Nov 2023, 9:57 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
IsabellaLinton wrote:
Never heard of it.


Image


Cute drawing! :heart:



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18 Nov 2023, 10:28 pm

Never heard of it.
Neither dislike nor like. Indifferent.

I do not mind others making a symbol out of it.



I gave seemingly separate representations to parts of me, good and bad, but autism isn't one of them...

... Because almost all of those bits are autistic.

Bits of me that aren't autistic are usually through inheritance -- all the things before me -- yet somehow autism is not one of those things.


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18 Nov 2023, 10:37 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
IsabellaLinton wrote:
Never heard of it.


Image


Its a cute creature.

But WTF does it hafta do with autism?

I mean...in what way does it represent/portray autism?



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18 Nov 2023, 10:57 pm

I think I've hated every symbol made up for autism, ever.
This is no exception.
Even the sign language sign for autism literally means "puzzle".
Forgive me, but :roll:


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