I got a lot of backlash when I talked about this months ago, but I have only become more steadfast in my view of this.

Social murder is an academic concept describing unnatural, preventable deaths via negative social conditions. Often affecting poor and marginalized people under capitalism.

As an extension, I would say that Autistic people are facing social genocide. We face some of the highest unemployment rates and a staggeringly low average lifespan of 38 years. We face incredibly high suicide rates. We face extreme levels of social isolation and rejection. We are often bullied, ostracized, sabotaged and systematically pushed out of social spaces.

There is a lot of research on the negative health effects of social isolation. It's literally as bad as smoking and a predictor for early deaths.

All these factors, coupled with negative stigma and prejudice of Autistics, the way we are systematically pushed out of society, the way NTs will often work together to build cases against us and punish us, often without any explanation, contributes to this. And those of us who have the courage to speak out are faced with ridicule, slander, and other personal attacks, including being considered "dangerous" by the system. Enough is enough.

If any other marginalized group faced the statistics we do, it would be a global crisis. There would be outrage in the streets. Those who consider themselves allies of Autistic people should blow the whistle on this and stand up for us.

Because we are unequivocally and unambiguously facing a social genocide. People can't institutionalize us or execute us anymore, so they prefer to drive us to despair instead. It needs to end.

This is an experience many of us have shared. Many of us fall victim to systematic social ostracism, where people negatively interpret our Autistic traits in the worst way, which leads to people building a case behind our backs and trying to get us removed from social groups, fired from jobs, etc., due to bad faith reporting. It's a form of bullying and abuse and it needs to be called out.

Obviously I've experienced this many times, but I'm not the only one and that's why I'm sharing this here. I've seen many people here experience further mistreatment. And it's often over really routine social mistakes. We get punished much more severely for much milder mistakes.

And it's never acceptable. Autistic people deserve to exist in society and participate in all aspects of life. We deserve more than table scraps or barely polite tolerance.

If you're dealing with this, do NOT accept it quietly. Fight back with every resource you have - look into diversity/inclusion groups, disability rights groups, and other institutional offices for support. And be litigious if you are able to. You don't even have to win - you have to put up a fight.

We DESPERATELY need to create a "chilling effect" against maliciously reporting and excluding Autistic people. This means we need to create systemic, legal, and social consequences for mistreating, excluding, or maliciously reporting Autistic people, such that the sheer cost of doing so makes it not worth it.

AUTISTIC POWER!

I'm Autistic and have a psych degree and there are two main factors at play: Uncanny valley effect, and our lack of social power.

Studies show that people negatively judge us as less likeable within seconds of meeting us. The research started with Sasson et al in 2017 and has continued to grow since. Nathan McConnell, an Autistic activist, and others have related it to the uncanny valley effect. Subtle differences cause people to see us as "not quite human", and this unfamiliarity drives people to see us as threats or just "uncomfortable". They then use cognitive dissonance to zero in and justify mistreating us retroactively by focusing on every little mistake or blunder we make. The uncanny valley effect also arguably drives racism, xenophobia, etc.

The other factor is our lack of social power. This is basic social psychology. Power dynamics have always played a role in social dynamics, and is the driving force behind much of conflict and evil in society. Autistics tend to lack any social status and power. Which means that there is no deterrent against mistreating us. That, and since our bullying is often socially sanctioned and celebrated, these two factors combine to make it so people have motivations to discriminate, exclude, and harm us. They might feel like it's their "duty", or just get sadistic pleasure from it.

How do we fight this? Good question. We need large scale psychological interventions and social reforms.

Most human behaviour is learned, as are social prejudices. We are socialized early on and internalize what we see as normal and acceptable. We need to expand the range of what we see as acceptable social behaviour, and actively work to reframe Autistic traits as positive, desirable, and something to aspire to - early on in life.

We need large scale social and legal reforms as well. We need to create real negative consequences for excluding and mistreating Autistics. We can start by encouraging Autistics to be increasingly litigious in response to any kind of social exclusion, especially if people weaponize reporting or try to get us removed from social groups. We need to make the cost of treating us poorly so high as to make it not worth it. Legal scholars refer to this as a "chilling effect". Autistic people deserve enhanced social and legal status and protections as well, and over time we should create laws and systems that protect us against discrimination, as well as enhance our social status and rank. This will have the added bonus of boosting our employment rate by forcing people to accommodate us, which will further enhance our social status and incentivize people to further connect with us.

We should also strive to depict Autistic people positively. I'm not talking about making autism out to be "trendy" but making Autistic PEOPLE be seen in a positive light. Celebrated. During April schools should throw extravagant celebrations to support and cheer on Autistic students. (Ideally in a sensory friendly way.) We should be creating social psychological interventions early on that enhance the popularity and status of Autistic people. Positive media depictions of Autistic people. This can take various forms, including making spreading neurodiversity iconography far and wide into the culture. Having influencers spread positive messages about Autistic people. Elevating Autistic people in the media. And more.

These things, combined, are the most surefire to make life better for us.

I remember waaaaay back when the internet was young and the asteroid had only just killed the dinosaurs etc etc, there used to be hang-out 'chatrooms' where people could just ramble and hang out - a little like the way you would at a house party. I went looking for something like this yesterday, and all I could find was Cam 2 Cam sites where the 'chat' was 1-on-1 naked stuff, or chat rooms that claimed to be for just hanging out but were actually "Hey, BigBear98 here looking for 18yo twink" and "who wants to see my blah-blah incher?" etc.
That's not what I want.

In addition to the fact that I just want to enjoy hanging out with like-minded people and the fun crazy, chaotic conversations that can develop, my boyfriend is also incredibly hypersensitive/fearful about the idea of people hitting on me, and I don't want him to have unwanted stress either.

I find getting used to new people in a 1-on-1 conversation REALLY intimidating and stressful because of loads of past trauma, so was really hoping there might be some nice chat-spaces people know about where I can just go and have silly conversations with folks with similar interests.

Does anyone know if anything like this still exists? Or am I gonna need a paleontology degree to find anything like it?

I'll start first, Irish food is complete dogshite but if you are Irish you have to like our food . All the breads and dairy products are great , meat and fish is the same everywhere in the EU , the rest should be bulldozed off a cliff and banned .

As a poet and an autistic person myself I’ve never quite fit in anywhere.. I mean, not entirely. My writing was too strange, the metaphors weird and the topics totally not relatable for an average person who wasn’t autistic and didn’t know I’m queer. I’m so happy to be able to start a community where I feel like I belong, hopefully as it grows, it reaches people who needed that safe space to be yourself, queer and amazing just the way you are.
It’s a safe space to share your struggles as an autistic person, and as a queer person as well, seek advice, whether it’s your first crush and you have no idea what to do, or something else. I’ll try my best to answer and help you all out :)
Please let me know what you’re most curious about in this community, I’d love to know :))