Autism is a spectrum.
Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in communication, social interaction, and behaviour. It is a spectrum condition, which means that it affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. Some autistic people struggle with verbal and nonverbal communication, while others struggle with social cues and relationships. It is critical to understand that people with autism are not defined by their diagnosis and are unique individuals in their own right. As a result, it is incorrect to lump all autistic people together.
That doesn’t stop a lot of people from being ableists when they talk to people with autism. I had no idea that autistic people are supposed to look a certain way. But that’s what this woman apparently thought. And, while there is no big fight or anything aggressive in this story. We do get a learning moment, which is always welcome. After all, it is always preferable to see people learning new skills rather than being argumentative.
You can see for yourself by scrolling down.
Source: Reddit
We start the story off with some background information on where it happened.
The author is quite familiar with the waiting room as he has been there many times.
Everything was going well until an ignorant woman came in.
It could have been a normal conversation but she apparently was not very intelligent.
It could have turned into an argument but she realized her mistake rather quickly.
And it became a teaching moment that I hope she took to heart.
It might seem boring to some but it is always good to see stories like these.
I’m not certain whether the woman was aware of her error or if she simply apologized to prevent a disturbance, but it’s heartening to hear such stories. I sincerely hope that she takes this short exchange to heart and does some research. Even if someone has no direct interaction with individuals on the autism spectrum, it’s still important for us as humans to have an open-minded attitude and a willingness to learn.
She definitely has some deep-held prejudices.
I don’t even know what autistic people are supposed to look like.
He could have been a jerk but that would have helped no one even though it would have been justified.
A lot of things sound funnier until they are written down.
While I do love my Karen stories, this is quite nice.
This doesn’t sound so bad when you look at the end result.
It really was done beautifully.
These kinds of stories really do open your eyes to the way a lot of people think sadly.
What do you think about this story? How would you have reacted if someone like this approached you? Would you have become enraged? Or would you have made it a teaching opportunity as well? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to share this story with your friends so they can share their experiences as well.
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