#your honor i have an autism spectrum disorder

[chicago-geniza]

SHE'S FINALLY HERE!!! After being re-shipped internationally due to kłopoty with Poczta Polska; after searching for three years until it came up in an antykwariat auction; after waking up at 3 am Chicago time to bid on it live; I finally own one of the 500 copies ever printed of Stefania Zahorska's "Ofiara" (1955)

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JADE AND FLOYD! Here are some edits and headcanons I have done in honor of their bday!

Jade:

Hatched first from his spawn with Floyd being second so logically he's the older twin but neither one likes the nickname

Says he looks the most like their mother but has more their father's personality

Is rather feminine in nature and isn't embarrassed to dress up in makeup or dresses or skirts

He in fact has some lovely mermaidcore dresses and jewelry

Does question his gender and sexuality but doesn't feel the need to actually go through the process of figure it out, but for now says he's Demi and his gender is whatever

Favorite tea is Mint

He first fell in love of mushrooms due to that one year on land before NRC when he saw one growing and never not did research on them

Cooks like Floyd but isn't as good as he said

Floyd:

Says he looks the most like his dad but his mother and him are roughly similar in personalities

Like Jade he has no problems wearing a skirt or makeup since gender to him doesn't define clothes and what to wear on your face or hair and doesn't quite get the difference of feminine and masculine

Started cooking after watching someone do what he called magic with some noodles in a shop during the his youth, he even started getting cooking lessons from Azul's mother

Doesn't care about gender "If I wanna kiss ya I'm gonna kiss ya"

Has autism and bipolar disorder but those words aren't a thing under the sea so he was very in awe when he found out land people have names for what he feels and thinks

I low-key high-key headcanon Octatrio being somewhere in the Autistic Spectrum

Sometimes has a habit to bite people, he gets urges to

As I mention in this post, he has a tongue piercing

[starry-skies-116]

ROTTMNT HEADCANONS BECAUSE I WATCHED AND LOVE THIS SHOW AND AM HYPERFIXATING AGGRESSIVELY ON IT NOW:

They keep the surnames of “Hamato” despite abandoning the strictly traditional practices of the Hamato clan whilst also taking more eclectic inspiration from their arts to their own.

They all brumate btw. Pry this from my cold dead hands. Every time brumation season comes, the Disaster Twins Inc. hog the couch.

Donnie, because he’s autistic and is a softshell turtle, has sensory issues and is very picky about what food he eats and which clothes he wears, as well as what surfaces he touches. He secretly has a casual list catalogued about what sensory things he loves versus what he hates, and there’s a small area in his lab that’s sensory heaven for him.

All the turtles have different eye colours. Leo has natural heterochromia, one eye being cobalt blue and another eye being bright amber. Post-movie Raph has heterochromia from being turned into a Krang zombie for a short amount of time- one eye is emerald green, and another is a bright magenta purple. Donnie has warm brown eyes, and Mikey has baby/cornflower blue-ish grey eyes. April has hazel green eyes.

Teenage Mutant Intersex Turtles, anyone?? They’re all different variations of intersex on the intersex spectrum. Leo was presumed to be a guy and does have some male traits, but is biologically female- he’s both intersex and a trans dude (and I’m all here for it).

Raph is an aroace bigender (both transfem and demiboy), Mikey is genderfluid and greyaroace pansexual and panromantic, Donnie is nonbinary, asexual and greyromantic biromantic, and Leo is FTM trans, demisexual and gay (did I mention they are all intersex).

Yes I do headcanon disaster twins, and that Donatello was taller than Leonardo when they were younger but Leo is 3 and a half minutes older than Donnie and takes every damn opportunity to brag about it.

“We need CaCa and Maggie~!” “JUST SAY CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM GODDAMNIT-”

In the future, all of the turtles have cloaking brooches and stable jobs that earn them great income. They also have apartments close to the sewers that is their home.

Okay, we all know Donnie’s canonically autistic. But what if all the turtles are on differing parts of the spectrum. More at 5.

Donnie in addition to being autistic has insomnia, BPD and misophonia and does have sight issues and is prone to migraines due to staring at screens and not getting enough sleep, Raph has panic disorder, dyslexia, OSDD-1a and GAD, Leo has ADHD-I, autism, GAD and is bipolar, and Mikey has ADHD-HI, dyscalculia and autism. All of them have some form of PTSD post-movie.

Leo does know how to play chess please and thank you. He just does it for fun and doesn’t really practice.

Splinter has PTSD, is autistic and is bisexual (the most unrealistic thing is young Lou Jitsu/Hamato Yoshi in his 20’s NOT kissing men and enby hoes in addition to women). He’s not a bad father, he just passed some of that generational trauma of everything that’s happened to him, as well as his regrets and grief, down to his kids without even knowing and feels terrible about it once he realizes. He may have made so many mistakes as a father, but he deeply loves his sons beyond what they could ever comprehend, and he’d send anyone to the shadow realm if they laid a finger on his beloved turtle children.

Donnie and Leo (mostly Donnie) bite each other for no reason at all- not enough to hurt or draw blood, but enough for the bitten to yelp and want an apology from the one who did the biting.

April O’Neil is an also autistic lesbian polyamorous demigirl. She’s saving up enough money by working at The Foot shoestore partially for her top surgery. Sunita is her best friend soon-to-be girlfriend. They’re gay disasters your honor.

Cassandra Jones is MTF trans. Fight me on this one.

Sunita, despite being a teenage slime yokai, does celebrate and participate in Indian culture and does consider herself Indian (let me have my rep I’m starved of please). She’s also a lesbian demigirl, and is asexual and autistic. She also has the ability of superhuman bodily elasticity, even in human form (though it is restricted somewhat in human form). Sunita WILL call pilaf ‘biryani that needs therapy’ okay, she’ll fight you if you say they are the same thing.

Queerplatonic/non-romantic Apritello where they have a super close relationship greater than best friends but cringe at the idea of being in a romantic relationship together wya <3

April’s African American, we all know, but what about her being of Afro-Iranian Jewish descent and her mother’s Shakshuka and Latkes and Rugelach and Sufganiyot being her absolute favorite among all the stuff she makes. She gets MAJOR hyped by the time Hanukah comes around and tells the Turtle boys and Splinter about it.

And there’s more, but I’ll tell y’all about that later, or we’ll be here all day.

[jerickreforba25]

“Yes, I just want to recommit my life with Jesus.”

Jerick Combate Reforba

I just want to look back and re-live my own testimony story that I’ve shared a year ago.

At my younger age, I was suffered from Autism spectrum disorder and I’ve got addicted to online pornography and masturbation. Due to the rest of my darkest situations, I’m feeling brokenhearted or triggered. This I know that I’m a disabled person. Romans 5:5 NKJV reminds us, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

I’ve realized that no one cares if I’m not sure how to surrender my life to Jesus for good. I want to overcome my sin forever. I’m asking for forgiveness and understanding. I need to receive love and respect, in my own personal life. I know, all the dark situations have been overcome for a long time, due to my mental health status, as an Autism survivor. It’s in the middle of my healing. Psalm 30:2 NASB 1995 says, “O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.”

Thank you for changing my life that when I personally met Jesus as our Lord and Savior for a long time. As I shared in Psalm 37:5 ESV, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” I have been baptized in water for a long time, on May 20, 2017, in a swimming pool. Until my lifestyle changed again, as if God’s door had been reopened. Ephesians 4:5 NLT says, “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

By God’s grace, I’m currently attending to Elevate Naga’s Saturday youth service and CCF Naga’s Sunday worship service since 2017. The best is yet to come. I can’t wait to continue praying in Psalm 18:28 NLT, “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.”

My prayer that I just want to say thank you for helping me through the toughest times of my life. You continued to shower me with blessings even when I was at my lowest. For this, I am eternally grateful to You. In the name of Jesus.

AMEN.

To God alone, be the glory, honor and praise!

© 2023 Jerick Combate Reforba. All rights reserved.

[noisycowboyglitter]

Autism Awareness: Wearing Blue to Inspire Others Like My Daughter

I Wear Blue For My Daughter: Celebrating Her Journey with Autism

"I Wear Blue For My Daughter" isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a badge of honor and a symbol of unwavering support. Here's what this message signifies:

Buy now:19.95$

"I Wear Blue": This signifies your commitment to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) awareness and acceptance. The color blue, often associated with Autism Awareness Month, becomes a visual representation of understanding and inclusion.

"For My Daughter": This personalizes the message, highlighting the incredible bond you share with your daughter. It shows the world that autism is a part of your family's story and something you celebrate.

Beyond Awareness: Wearing blue goes beyond a single month. It's a daily reminder of your unwavering support for your daughter and the autistic community at large.

More Than Just a T-Shirt:

Buy now

"I Wear Blue For My Daughter" can extend beyond clothing:

Spreading the Word: Wearing a blue ribbon, using a blue social media filter, or simply talking about autism can spark conversations and raise awareness.

Building Bridges: It creates a connection with others who have autistic children, fostering a sense of community and understanding.

Empowering Your Daughter: Seeing you wear blue shows your unwavering love and support, boosting her confidence and sense of belonging.

Overall, "I Wear Blue For My Daughter" is a message of love, acceptance, and advocacy. It celebrates the unique strengths of autistic individuals and inspires others to create a more inclusive world for everyone. It's a reminder that autism is a journey, and you're walking it with your daughter every step of the way.

Buy now

The vibrant spectrum of Autism Awareness Colors goes beyond just blue! Light blue, most commonly seen, represents calmness and trust. But the rainbow extends further: red for energy and passion, yellow for joy and communication, green for growth and potential. These colors celebrate the beautiful diversity of the Autism Spectrum and the unique strengths of each individual. Wear them with pride, raise awareness, and embrace a world that shines with neurodiversity.

Flutter into Delight with Butterfly Gifts

Butterflies are more than just beautiful creatures; they symbolize transformation, hope, and joy. Looking for the perfect gift that embodies these qualities? Look no further than butterfly gifts!

Buy now

For the Nature Lover: Delight them with a butterfly garden starter kit, a hand-painted butterfly wind chime, or a stunning butterfly feeder to attract these winged wonders to their yard.

For the Fashionable: Spark their style with a dazzling butterfly necklace, a vibrant butterfly scarf, or a charming butterfly hair clip.

For the Homebody: Create a serene atmosphere with butterfly-themed throw pillows, a calming butterfly wall art piece, or a relaxing butterfly-scented candle.

For All Ages: From whimsical butterfly mobiles for a nursery to intricate butterfly jewelry for adults, there's a butterfly gift for everyone. So, spread your wings and explore the world of butterfly magic!

[aggressive-positivity-network]

Hi there! Thank you for following me and hope you’re doing well! If it’s alright to ask I have a question about autism. So you know how there can be hyperfixations right? So I’ve been wondering what the difference is between normal hyperfixations and autistic hyperfixations. I also question what the difference is between a hyperfixation, just being drawn to certain tastes, or just focusing on something because just because somebody focuses on one subject doesn’t automatically mean autism. So I’m interested into hearing your thoughts and what do you think out of curiosity.

But of course! I would be honored.

See, most people hyperfixate. Perhaps you’ve been so engrossed in a book that you haven’t heard someone calling your name, or so focused on an art project that you’ve lost track of time. Being hyperfixated just means that you become so fixated on something that you tune everything else out. Most everyone does that from time to time.

But the difference between neurotypical and neurodivergent hyperfixating is how often it happens, and how intense it is. A person can have an interest in Batman, for example, and hyperfixate on a self-insert fan-fiction they’re writing. But they can close the laptop, go downstairs, and have dinner with their friends/family with little trouble.

However, a person with ADHD or ASD may have a lot of trouble transitioning between hyperfixating on something and another activity, especially if there’s a sudden interruption. They may become so engrossed that they forget to eat, drink water, or manage hygiene. They may find it hard to talk about anything else for as long as the hyperfixation lasts. And then, usually, the hyperfixation ends, only to replaced by a new one.

For ASD (autism spectrum disorder) specifically, this is usually because the world can be so chaotic, that it feels nice to have something that you can understand completely. This may also manifest into “special interests,” which are like hyperfixations, but usually last much longer and are sometimes less intense.

When an autistic person has a special interest or hyperfixation, it can be difficult to carry a normal conversation. Imagine having all this information about your favorite subject, but not being able to share it with other people because it doesn’t come up in normal conversations. If you have an autistic person in your life, please, for the love of god, ask them about their hyperfixation. They will be ecstatic. (This also includes me…so if you have the time to spare, I have Gorillaz lore I’d love to share).

The bottom line is that autistic hyperfixations are more intense than your average interest, and sometimes makes it difficult to talk about anything else. So when we rant about something we like, it’s usually because we’re not only interested in the subject, but that we have a lot of facts we haven’t gotten to share yet.

[mrcspectr]

I have a dissociative disorder (mostly amnesia, no alters but different "states" and ages of me). I absolutely adore moon knight, though if I'm not careful it can be triggering especially those last two eps. Regardless, I love reading your meta about the show and about Marc, Steven, and Jake. Though sometimes it's hard not to feel so called out haha.

I'm happy that there is a piece of media that portrays the disorder in such a realistic light, at least as realistic as a marvel show can be (thanks so much Isaac and Diab). Making people aware of the realities and bringing more awareness is so helpful to people who suffer from this disorder.

I'm also on the autism spectrum and seeing so much love for the boys makes me feel like people can also love me the same way. It gives me hope. Gosh, I have a long way to go in regards to my trauma but I feel a little less demonized by the general public because of the show. So, please continue to share your enthusiasm about mk! I look forward to and love to read every one of your posts.

Hope your day goes well!

Oh, this put the biggest smile on my face.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences, I can't imagine how difficult it must be to talk about these things, let alone live with them on a day to day basis. And I'm honored that you were comfortable enough to share with me!

I know there's been a lot of criticism on the realism of Moon Knight's portrayal of DID and even autism, and I never want to speak over those that have a more personal connection to that portrayal than I. But I also know there are people who feel seen by this show, and the idea that it's had such a positive effect on even one person means so much for better visibility and acceptance as a whole. No one should be demonized for their trauma or their disorder.

As for what I write.. it means the world to me that people like it, but it especially captures my whole heart that anyone who's lived through this finds some enjoyment or comfort out of something I've created. Marc, Steven and Jake are some of the first characters I've really, truly resonated with in a long time, and I just hope I do them (and by relation, you!) justice.

[superlinguo]

Linguistics Jobs: Interview with a Technical Writer

One thing I love about the Linguistics Jobs interview series is that each interview has relevant information about a specific job, but also lots of wonderful general advice about looking for work. Today, I really appreciate Alex Katz’s insight into the importance of building up a portfolio of work that you can share with potential future employers. Trying your hand at technical writing, or audio production or any other job you think you might be interested in, is a great way to see if it suits, and have something to show potential future employers. You can follow Alex on Twitter (@WizardOfDocs) and they’re also on Mastodon (WizardOfDocs@wandering.shop).

What did you study at university?

For my bachelor's I did a double linguistics and Chinese literature major, and an honors thesis about how characters in old Doctor Who stories address each other. Then I did a Master of Arts degree in linguistics, focusing on pragmatics, and my thesis took John Searle's speech act theory and Brown & Levinson's politeness theory and combined them into a new set of speech act categories. The idea for my master's thesis came from reading Searle's original paper in my discourse analysis class and thinking "I can do this better." So I wrote a paper about it for the class, and that turned into the first draft of my thesis. So don't prevent yourself from doing something if the only reason you want to do it is to do it better than someone else. It gets results.

What is your job?

I'm a contract technical writer for a shopping website. My day-to-day work is improving the documentation of how to use/add to the code that keeps the website running: I'm editing the existing documentation one page at a time, but I'm also taking edit requests and proposals for new pages, and even planning a major restructuring of my team's internal website to make sure our customers can learn what to do better.

How does your linguistics training help you in your job?

Studying linguistics, and especially pragmatics, has made me a better writer and a better editor. I can figure out why a particular phrasing or formatting decision is better or worse in context, and explain it to my teammates. That skill isn't just useful for the actual documentation--understanding pragmatics also helps me write emails and Slack messages to make sure members of my team are talking to each other and can give me the information I need.

Do you have any advice you wish someone had given to you about linguistics/careers/university?

If you want to get into technical writing, start building up your portfolio as soon as possible, especially in your chosen subject area. Ask your professors if they have syllabi or lab procedures that need updating. Start a blog. Document open-source projects. I didn't realize I wanted to be a technical writer until a couple of years after I graduated, and now all my best work is proprietary and I can't work on open source projects without jumping through lots of hoops. So I'm feeling kind of stuck. If I'd realized sooner that I could just (for example) send the developer of a Minecraft mod a pull request to improve their in-game tutorial book, my portfolio would look a lot better.

Also, expect to spend at least a few years as a contractor before any company decides you're worth hiring for real. That means a lot of short-term jobs, and probably some bad employers at the staffing agencies. But it's a good way to figure out what kind of company you really want to work for, and a great way to build up your resume--even if I don't get to go full-time at this job, I can now say I've worked at three different big tech companies.

Any other thoughts or comments?

It's not exaggerating to say studying linguistics has made me a better person. I was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in college, just as I was starting to study linguistics, and those things together gave me a wonderful opportunity to study how people talk to each other and learn how to present myself as someone people want to spend time with.

Related interviews:

Interview with a Standards Engineer

Interview with a Product Manager

Interview with an Editor and Copywriter

Recent interview:

Interview with a Stay-at-home Mom and Twitch Streamer

Interview with a Peer Review Program Manager

Interview with an Associate at the Children’s Center for Communication, Beverly School for the Deaf

Interview with a Metadata Specialist and Genealogist

Interview with a Developer Advocate

Check out the full Linguist Jobs Interview List and the Linguist Jobs tag for even more interviews 

[morlock-holmes]

So, that post I reblogged by @serinemolecule had me thinking.

I have started to understand autism spectrum disorders through a pretty explicitly pop SJW or woke framework.

And what I mean is this: i believe that a lot of people who would immediately agree with the statement "We should work harder to accommodate autistic people and be less judgemental about autistic behaviors" nevertheless have a number of implicit or unconscious beliefs which can be very difficult for autistic people to navigate around or deal with.

Particularly, allistic people tend to have heard that autistic people often have trouble with unspoken or implicit norms, and on the surface they accept that, but underneath they have a sort of list of unspoken norms that are so obvious that every "high functioning" person knows them, whether they're autistic or not.

Now, in the abstract this is sensible. That's kind of what "high functioning" means. If, for example, I genuinely could not understand that strangers don't like it when you bite them randomly, if this was a norm I truly couldn't grasp, I wouldn't be called high functioning and I would have a great deal of trouble navigating day to day life.

But the "list" allistic people have in their head of what is "obvious" even to autistic people is in my experience based less on empirical evidence from interaction with a large number of autistic people and based more on whatever seems obvious to that individual. Often the thing that is understood to be so obvious nobody could miss it isn't even universally clear to other allistic people.

Like, I've said this before, but I happened to be in the room with my mother when she was watching an episode of the bachelor, and the guy asked a girl if he could kiss her, and my mother very emphatically told me, "Never do this, if a woman wants you to kiss her you'll know it".

Like, even though she's latched onto my ASD diagnosis as something that really explains why I behave in ways that aren't intuitive to her, in her unconscious mind she's still like, "Well sure, but when a woman wants a guy to kiss her that's so obvious that nobody could miss it."

This kind of thing really fucked me up, because... Uh, no, I don't "just know" if a woman is flirting with me. And spending my life simultaneously being told that you can't ask women if your attention would be wanted but also unwanted sexual attention is one of the worst things a man can do to a woman really genuinely fucked me up a lot.

Right, so this whole thing is very modern pop SJW so far, right? Even people who don't consciously harbor bias towards autistic people can still have unconscious ideas that are hard for autistic people to navigate and which cause unintentional harm.

The thing is, in my experience? If you're the kind of person who says, "We need to be willing to examine our unconscious biases and really listen and trust when people who are less privileged than us say that we're causing harm" you are extremely unlikely to actually listen to me about autism.

Less likely than almost any other kind of person I encounter.

I'm sure there must be, like, really crazy bigots out there but luckily for the most part I don't encounter them.

But the crazy thing is, the woker people are the more likely they are to just flat out dismiss claims that I have difficulty with something.

Like, I've found this hard to explain but if I say that I find a norm difficult to understand or comply with, more conservative people are likely to say, "Yeah, that's tough for autistic people but the reason we have this norm is XYZ and the way you comply better with it is to do ABC"

Left wing people, particularly the kind of left wing person who takes "SJW" as a badge of honor tend, instead, to say, "Actually that norm is really easy for people with Autism to understand. You can't really expect me to explain how the norm works when I'm suddenly put on the spot but come on, it's obvious. Anyway people should be punished for violating the norm because it's so obvious and easy to follow that anybody who says that they might get it wrong is lying. I mean I'm not saying you're lying just saying you don't have trouble following the norm.

[chicago-geniza]

MINT CONDITION COPY OF OFIARA AT AN ANTIQUARIAN AUCTION IN WARSAW ON THE 21ST WITH ONLINE PARTICIPATION I HAVE SIGNED UP ACCOUNTED FOR THE TIME DIFFERENCE AND ENTERED A PRELIMINARY BID IN USD. THE STARTING BID IS 21 EUROS. IF I CAN GET OFIARA FOR 21 EUROS PLUS SHIPPING I WILL FORGIVE HASHEM FOR LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER THE LAST 2-3 WEEKS

THERE WERE ONLY 500 COPIES OF THIS BOOK EVER PRINTED, A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF THEM HAVE BEEN DESTROYED OR LOST, THIS ONE IS FUCKING PRISTINE. IMMACULATE. I WILL BLAST OFF INTO OUTER SPACE AND KISS GD ON THE MOUTH. THIS BOOK IS MY WHITE WHALE. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A COPY--ANY COPY--FOR THREE YEARS 

[absurdthirst]

Hey! About teachers making you feel dumb for asking questions. I have Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder (and I'm probably in the autism spectrum, but not yet diagnosed), so you can imagine school was fucking hell for me. So many of my teachers made me feel dumb when I was struggling with something that I just never asked any questions, and at some point I would just be like "I didn't understand the subject enough to even have a doubt", I would just struggle alone later to try to understand it. So when I would eventually get bad grades, my mom would just call me "fucking stupid" and that surely didn't help. I'm 22 now, and I still have a hard time with spelling and reading.

I am so sorry hun. I really am.

I am not a perfect parent and for me it was hard to understand that my son processed and absorbed information differently than I did. Just like my father had a hard time understanding that I didn't have a photographic memory like he did.

However, I know that he has that issue and constantly ask him if he understood or had questions since I know that he doesn't like to ask out in public. He has that same mentality. The damn virtual schooling thing this year took a very serious toll on him. Went from being in honors classes, to barely passing because of his lack of willingness to ask a question publicly over the zoom.

I find it so sad that people who "educate" children do no encourage questions and free thinking. But I also have quite a few issues with the school system and wish I had a decent private school around me to send them to.

You are not "fucking stupid" and she should have been your biggest supporter and champion rather than another person to make you doubt yourself.

[yoursexysweetcadaver]

Justice for Matthew Rushin - Black Autistic Lives Matter! #BLM #Justice4MatthewRushin

Hello there I have not seen any mention of what happened to Matthew Rushin on Tumblr yet so, I’m making this post hoping it gains traction. PLEASE signal boost, take your time to read and donate if you can or share, because this is a MASSIVE injustice and it needs to be spread around more. I don’t have many (active) followers so I don’t know how far this will go, but I’m hoping more people see this so please if you do see this, share and follow their social medias we need justice for Matthew ASAP.  He is experiencing vision loss and other symptoms related to a cyst in his brain that required medical care when he was and still is in his cell. I am going to keep my words brief, to give more voice to the family as they speak and explain best about what has been going on. There is an email template in this post that you can use to send to Virginia representatives (also listed), a GoFundMe link.  This is all taken from the family’s Facebook post and photos.

Also please feel free to add more hashtags, I added what I came up with.

I’m not only fighting for my son Matthew Rushin but for all those who have been wrongfully convicted. Laws must change to protect those with disabilities and our legislators must be held accountable to make these changes. We have to protect those with disabilities and not let the police (Virginia Beach Detective Jessica Hosang)/prosecutors (Colin Stolle, & Michael DeFricke)take advantage of them! They have stolen the music from my life!

Entire Washington Post link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/how-a-black-autistic-man-is-serving-10-years-in-prison-for-a-car-crash/2020/09/10/7f86aed2-5a58-475d-a806-3957ee3bdb2c_video.html?fbclid=IwAR2UcNCjCELk1F-3YuwQodKTyhoKSnEA0ASnuvNqfoAgDUwtEE1U3_B0Cpc

MEET MY SON MATTHEW RUSHIN: Matthew is a black, autistic twenty-two year old male who was & is still a model citizen even in prison. He beat all kinds of odds against him: black, autistic, ADHD, anxiety, a traumatic brain injury(TBI) in 2017 that left him comatose for several days, & which required rehabilitation in order for him to re-learn life functions, including walking & talking. A pituitary cyst was discovered during evaluation & treatment for the TBI. The single car accident which resulted in the TBI has left him with PTSD.  Despite all of these challenges, Matthew graduated with honors from high school, was employed & was an engineering student at ODU.  He participated in numerous volunteer activities.  He is a gifted pianist, plays the viola beautifully, & he composes music and writes poems. Matthew was sentenced to 50 years (to serve 10) for a nonfatal, unintentional car accident involving no drugs or alcohol. If you are thinking there must be more to the story, there is. One of Matthew’s autistic processes is called Echolalia, which causes him to repeat words that he hears. After the car accident, Matthew stepped out of his car & was met by an angry driver who cursed at him and repeatedly yelled at him “are you f***ing trying to kill yourself?” In his distressed state, Matthew repeated these man’s words about suicide: words that were used to turn a car accident into a crime. Matthew was charged with 2nd degree murder with a claim that the accident was an intentional attempt to kill himself by deliberately driving head-on into another car. Officers did not exhibit any understanding of autism in their interpretations of Matthew’s comments and actions. Instead, they took advantage of his vulnerability as they handcuffed him, questioned him for nearly 4 hours at the scene, lied to him about evidence, isolated him from his family. A forensic engineer and traffic collision reconstructionist with 33 years’ experience has written a report detailing the ways the Commonwealth’s suicide determination as a cause for the accident is NOT a plausible explanation. Facing the terrifying prospect of a jury trial, Matthew was pressured to plead guilty to crimes he didn’t commit, led to believe it would allow him to go home. He was never properly treated or evaluated, and his health and disability were never properly considered. Today, Matthew sits in prison without an understanding of why he is there. Matthew and his family have immense compassion for the individuals wounded in the January 2019 car crash, especially the man with the most severe and sustaining injuries. Their thoughts are with these individuals daily. But Matthew is not a danger to society. He is highly vulnerable in the brutal prison environment as a man with a disability. And he faces the possibility of permanent blindness or even death due to an untreated brain cyst. Help Matthew's family bring him home. Ask Governor Northam to grant Matthew an Absolute Pardon and do whatever it takes to free him today!

************************* SAMPLE EMAIL************************** I am writing to you because I feel passionately that Matthew Rushin, a gentle young man with neurological processing differences that accompany autism spectrum disorder, should NOT be behind bars.   Please review his case. A nonfatal car accident that involved NO drugs or alcohol, a young man with autism who has never before been in trouble with the law.  This is someone who should NOT have been sentenced to 50 years and now spending a decade of his life in jail with violent offenders all because of a driving mistake.  Furthermore, it is highly likely that the accident even occurred because of his losing consciousness due to a seizure. A forensic engineer and traffic collision reconstructionist with 33 years experience has written a report detailing the ways the commonwealth’s suicide determination as a cause for the accident is NOT a plausible explanation: https://neuroclastic.com/.../2020/06/rushin-engineer.pdf...  This is also what Matthew repeatedly told officers during his interrogation, when he should have been receiving medical care. At the scene of the accident, Matthew repeated words that were screamed at him. Echolalia is a method many with autism use for processing situations.  This involves them repeating what someone has said to them. Matthew did this, and he was convicted because of it, rather than for the actual facts of the case that illustrated it was indeed an unintentional car accident. Please review his case.  He needs medical attention for the cyst on his brain. He is experiencing headaches and transient blindness, and his medical care for this is long overdue. Please do not let him die in jail. This young man has been criminalized and had his life destroyed. He has a history of being a model citizen prior to this accident - honors in high school, an engineering college student, a volunteer. He needs medical care for the cyst on his brain and is experiencing transient blindness and short term memory loss, further exacerbated by his recent assault in jail by another inmate. Please do what you can to help. Prison offers the VA community nothing in terms of betterment by keeping him locked up and potentially killing him because of lack of medical care and his vulnerability as a young man with disabilities in a brutal environment. Help his family bring him home. The injuries incurred to the victims involved, particularly the man with the most severe and sustaining injuries, are horrible. But the punishment is above and beyond inhumane and unproductive for Matthew Rushin to be sentenced to 50 years and serving 10 for a nonfatal car accident involving no drugs or alcohol.  

******************************************************************************************* These are critical points: 1. Matthew was not taken for medical (and mental health evaluation) the evening of the crash.  He has lost consciousness, had a prior serious brain injury, was banged up around the face and bleeding, was not making sense - yet, instead of taking him for evaluation and care, the police handcuffed and interrogated him for nearly 4 hours at the scene, then more at the police station (with lies and manipulation).  He still has not had the physical evaluation he should have had that day - despite the fact that he has a cyst on his pituitary gland that was due evaluation the month he was jailed (19 months ago), AND he is having severe headaches, dizziness and temporary blindness.                                                                     2. Virginia Beach Police Department has a CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) program that is supposed to divert people with mental illness or in mental health crises to treatment rather than the criminal system.  Not only did they not activate that team despite his history of PTSD, anxiety and his symptoms at the scene AND the fact that they were going to charge him with attempted 2nd degree murder on the basis of a suicide attempt (unfounded!), the woman how did much of the interrogation - which included lies about the evidence they had, and pretending that she was his friend - is a trainer for their CIT program.  Further, suicidology must be determined by psychologist or psychiatrist.  It was not - and wouldn't have been.  They were able to maintain that charge, because after 7 months of jail, when Matthew was told that if he signed the plea deal, he could go home - that was his understanding - he signed it.  From that point forward, the prosecutor, judge and press referred to the "fact" that he admitted he deliberately ran into the other car because he was trying to kill himself.                                                                       Officer Hosang only has 12 hours of Autism training, it takes psychologists years undergraduate education, graduate education and a whole lot of certification to even be able to practice. Officer Hosang told Matthew as heard in the interrogation, she hopes to arrest and charge him. What CIT does that? Is that descalating the issue? Um.. no way! 3. Mental health services have not been provided.  Medication for anxiety was provided after months, but not counseling/treatment.  Matthew has not had the required neurology follow up for his conditions identified prior to his incarceration.                                                                                                                     4. Matthew and his family have not been able to talk face to face for 19 months, let alone hug.  This 20 year old autistic man who had just been in a very serious car accident and who was clearly physically impacted was not allowed the comfort of his family.  His dad was at the scene for hours waiting to be allowed to see his son.  He wasn't even told when they took Matthew away from the scene.  Mr. Rushin found out 45 minutes later.     5. Matthew was ripped from his life on the basis of an unsubstantiated claim, denied his rights, taken advantage of and taken straight to prison for a charge that never should have been made.  Yet when there is overwhelming evidence of all of the wrongdoing, he remains in prison.  That is totally unbalanced.  He was judged guilty on sight.  But it is taking months to free him.  This is so wrong. ________________________________________________________________________________ (1) GOVERNOR RALPH NORTHAM EMAIL: Ralph.Northam@governor.virginia.gov CALL: (804) 786-2211 (2) COUNSEL TO GOVERNOR NORTHAM Legal Counsel Rita Davis Rita.Davis@governor.virginia.gov (3) Kelly Thomasson: Secretary of the Commonwealth EMAIL: Kelly.thomasson@governor.virginia.gov CALL: (804) 786-2441 Fax: 804-786-7441 (4) Tonya D. Chapman: Chair of the Virginia Parole Board EMAIL:  tonya.chapman@vpb.virginia.gov CALL:    804-674-3081 (5) PAROLE BOARD PARDONS@GOVERNOR.VIRGINIA.GOV (6) Brian Moran: Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Secretary CALL:   Office: 804-786-5351 EMAIL: Brian.Moran@governor.virginia.gov (6) Mark R. Herring: Virginia Attorney General EMAIL: service@oag.state.va.us CALL: (804)786-2071 ****************************************************************** (1) PETITION LINK: (DO NOT DONATE TO THE PETITION, ONLY SHARE) http://chng.it/gvNy5rJ77H

(2) GOFUNDME FOR LEGAL AND EXPERT FEES (ZERO THE TIP FEE: DO NOT ADD A TIP): we still need financial assistance! We appreciate everyone ❤️ https://gf.me/u/yjwwty

(3 PAYPAL: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Dance4Matthew

[welcome-to-green-hills]

I’m sorry for bothering you this way, I just happened to see your ‘words of encouragement ask’ and was hoping this is maybe somewhere I could vent, even if it’s just to the void. I... am afraid to let anyone in. Ever. I get attached to people too quickly, like only after a few interactions, but I’m so afraid of rejection that I don’t reach out to try and deepen the connection at all. All my friendships are surface level, I never talk anything serious with anyone even when I really want to. (1/?)

I see you.

I hear you.

You are not bothering me.

This will not go unseen.

You , your entirety, is seen here.

I see you.

I am proud of you.

You are wonderful.

——————————(❤️❤️❤️)——————————

I do not mean to make this all about me when I express what I feel deep down. Just know... I know what you feel. I, too have been afraid to open up in the past. I, too, have felt that I—in no way nor how—should be worthy a sliver of a time of some. To be acknowledged. To be seen. To be loved. To be the mere thought of a person in passing.

Who would care?

Why would anyone want care?

When I received these messages in my inbox, I cried. I’m still a bit teary-eyed writing a response to this. It’s just me relating to you deep down, my own struggles that I have had in the past. I know exactly what you are thinking and feeling deep down. Those feelings of, “not being good enough” or “I am unworthy” are many, many things that I have had echoe in my mind for years. That I do not matter.

I know now that it’s not true.

When I was a kid, I remember having the ones that I dared to love get up and walk away. It was too much for them to love, they had to get up and walk away. If something didn’t click in their head, they were quick to take it out on others. I remember the day my father ran away. The very parental figure that I thought I needed to love told me flat out, “I like you, but this wasn’t what I wanted. It was a nice idea.” I wasn’t enough for him to be satisfied. He packed up his stuff—I was forced to help him pack up—told me not to tell my mom where he was running off to, then he drove away. This was on my ninth birthday. He took off North. I remember thinking that I didn’t make him happy. I wasn’t what he imagined.

My father wasn’t a man. He was something else. When he was around, he made everyone sick mentally and physically. He was quick to suck the very color out of anyone around him in order to feel good about himself. He was quick to judge and he was hurtful with feelings, as well as lie. When he left, I learned two things; who my people were and who I did not want to be when I was an adult. I could breathe again.

I will admit, it hurt to left people in, yes, but view it as this: these are examples given to you spiritually in who and what you aspire to be in life.

When I was a kid, I remember searching for answers on why I couldn’t connect with kids in class. I was afraid to interact with kids my own age. I was afraid to interact because I thought that they would not accept me as well. I didn’t have many friendships in the past as well, I had a speech impediment, as well as a hearing problem. I also have ASD. In the past, I’ve been told that I was very, very smart. However, since I needed more attention due to the past, not many gave me a chance. I’ve been told many times in the past that I’m too smart for them, that I’ve needed to dumb down more in order to be accepted from people. If I ever wanted to be something with people, I had to be something that I couldn’t.

Many famous celebrities and historical individuals have come out to say that they have a disability and/or heavily theorized to have a disability. You would not believe how many people have one and they’ve made revolutionary changes for the greater good. Look it up.

It hurt hearing friends—now they’re more like acquaintances—that I had to be a completely different person that I was. Something that I couldn’t be. I’ve been picked on before with troubled speech, with hearing problems, as well as coming from a single-parent background. To hear that if I wanted to be like them I had to be dumber, it felt wrong. Wouldn’t you want to be surrounded by people who want to help build you up?

If I was to be picked on and ridiculed for having a higher intelligence and skills than them, then why would I want to surround myself with them? That taught me three things; intelligence is only mocked by those that are not taught the value of it, friends should be the ones to build you up and not tear you down, ASD—Autism Spectrum Disorder—has been my “superhero power.” I love puzzles and patterns, it comes naturally to me. I’ve learned how to use that disability to my advantage. While they were still in Intensive classes, I was taking honors and getting awards for my work. Later on in life I’ve found a few friends along my journey that have loved and accepted me for who I am. They accept my luggages, my quirks, my entirety. They do not care because they see Me.

The moral here; it is okay to surround yourself with other people that want to build you up.

When I was younger and ready to go to college, I was accepted into one of the hardest schools to get into. It was a baby IVY League school, kinda like if IVY League school had its own “community college,” that’s what it would be. I was given a change to go to a school that I’ve always wanted to go to. The acceptance letter came, but I didn’t get farther than the entrance. I was sat down and made fun of for coming from a background with a low-income, as well as a learning disability. Forget about all of the hard work I’ve done in high school, forget the ridiculously high IQ—which I find ludicrous to even calculate with in life, forget about the science awards and the experience that I’ve had in life. I was told that my kind was never to be accepted.

I’ve been told that I was sub-par and that I would always be a behavioral problem with autism and no money. I would never amount for anything and that I needed to stop while I was ahead. I wasn’t going to get anywhere.

That was two years ago.

I now attend The University of Florida—one of the hardest schools to get into because it’s considered public IVY League—and I do summer classes at Yale. I’ve received a scholarship to attend both schools to get my degrees in Art History and in Anthropology. I have people looking at my work all the time and asking me questions. That’s a huge fucking accomplishment.

I didn’t get as far as I did accepting it, I just gave life the middle finger and kept on going.

I have more to my story, but this is just me scratching the surface of my life. I promise I have a point to this...

——————————(❤️❤️❤️)——————————

The past is not what should define you, the actions and experiences of what you go through now should me. You are still Becoming. You are a work of art that is still being mastered.

I am so, so proud of you for telling me what you think and feel inside. It was scary, but you did it. That is courage at it’s finest.

I will be the first person to tell you that being up to people is hella hard. Those experiences in the past reflect and scratch at the back of your mind, telling you that this will happen again. In the past, I have loved people before and they’ve vanished before my eyes. If then vanish, it is not because of you, it is because they do not know how to process it in their heart and in their mind. To repeat, it is not your fault. Most people need to take time to understandably things are the way they are. If they ignore you, then they are not worth Your time. Soon you will find the people that matter most to you, it just clicks.

You’ll find your missing piece once when the assurance of worthiness settles in your mind.

You, my dear and wonderful person, are worthy of wanting more.

You are worthy of having more.

You are allowed to Be more.

Take this time from past interactions to have a conversation with yourself on who and what you want to be. Who are you deep down? When can I meet her, him, them, it, xem, (f)aer, em, or hir? I can’t wait to meet You.

My blog is called “Welcome to Green Hills” for a reason. It welcomes in many so they can find that chance to be who and what they are. This blog is meant to help build you up and show you that you can be more. There is no greater force on this Earth more than you. I make it a point to tell everyone that I see them and that I hear them because I want to know that they are real.

You are here, you exist!

I see you.

I want you to know another thing; it is okay to care for people. Your emotions do not make you weak, it is of those who do not understand their own that makes them weak. Having emotion is what makes you human. It’s what helps you grow and become wiser. You start to look at possibilities that you’ve never known could exists in life. You can learn something new about yourself that you may have never noticed on your own. The people that you interact with in life can influence you. I’m speaking from my own experience.

I don’t know everyone’s experiences, I don’t know everyone’s story. I know my story. I know where I come from and what I want to be. I’ve worked hard to become a better version of myself. You are allowed, and worthy, of being loved, accepted, and seen.

We love to punish ourselves and think that we accept very little of what we are given in life. Human being unconsciously love to accept little to no value for themselves because they look to what other have told them. I know that this is a hard concept to hold firmly in your heart at the moment, but I want you to know that what others tell you is not true. You are allowed love and happiness. You are allowed to have worth. I promise. Start to think in terms of “I can” rather than “I can’t.” Start thinking in terms of “I am” rather than “I’m not.” You are allowed to be more. If people keep tearing you down, even with that feeling of lying on the ground feels fine, get back up. There will be people in life that want to push you down, and I will tell you, get back up and hold your head up high. There’s always another way, that’s the glory of the Universe.

You have worth.

You have value.

And you matter.

Stay safe, my friend.

[noisycowboyglitter]

Autism Awareness: Wearing a Puzzle to Support My Cousin

I Wear a Puzzle for My Cousin: Celebrating Neurodiversity with Love

"I Wear a Puzzle for My Cousin" goes beyond a cute slogan; it's a powerful statement of love, acceptance, and support. Here's what this message conveys:

Buy now

"I Wear a Puzzle": This signifies solidarity with your cousin who is on the Autism Spectrum. The puzzle piece, a recognized symbol of Autism Awareness, becomes a badge of honor.

"For My Cousin": This personalizes the message, highlighting the bond between you and your cousin. It shows the world that autism is part of your family's story.

Celebrating Neurodiversity: By wearing the puzzle piece, you're celebrating neurodiversity, the idea that brains can function differently, and all variations have value.

More Than Just a T-Shirt:

"I Wear a Puzzle for My Cousin" can extend beyond clothing:

Buy now

Spreading Awareness: Wearing a puzzle piece pin, keychain, or using it as social media profile picture sparks conversations and raises awareness.

Building Bridges: It creates a connection between you and others who have loved ones on the spectrum, fostering a sense of community.

Empowering Your Cousin: Knowing you wear the puzzle piece for them shows your unwavering support and love, boosting their confidence.

Overall, "I Wear a Puzzle for My Cousin" is more than just a statement; it's a beautiful expression of family, acceptance, and celebrating the incredible diversity of the human experience.

Buy now

Show your support and celebrate neurodiversity with an Autism Awareness shirt! Our shirts come in vibrant puzzle piece colors, symbolizing the beautiful spectrum of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community. Wearing this shirt raises awareness, promotes acceptance, and lets everyone know you stand with those on the spectrum. Find a design that reflects your style and wear it with pride!

Buy now

The brightly colored ribbon, often a puzzle piece design, is a symbol of Autism Awareness. Worn with pride, it shows support for the autistic community and raises awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Choose your favorite color or a classic puzzle design to show your solidarity and acceptance.

[killjoy-rider]

Can you do headcanons for the mercs with autism? - A fellow on the spectrum.

Had to do just a tiny bit of research for this one but this is going to be a great one to write!

Scout: Having Autism doesn't really affect your relationship with scout. He is a loving person that is too damn cocky and annoys people often. He helps you with whatever is going on without a single moment to think about it. Having trouble with social interactions? Boom he is by your side hugging you by the waist whispering sweet encourages in your ear

Soldier: He is a little bit blunt most of the times and with his screaming most of the time, he’s gonna have to learn that either loud noises can set you off and have a reaction that is not positive towards you. He learns with time to lower his voice around you and treat you like the Princess/Prince you are. You are his Cupcake and no one is going to harm you while you are with him

Pyro: They are going to be a little confused on what Autism really is so you take an afternoon with both yourself and them to actually explain what Autism really is. After this he is more knowledgeable on what actually goes on. Sensitive to loud noises or the other five senses? This firebug does anything for you to be comfortable and relaxed around them and the team

Demoman: He’s a tough nut to crack in my opinion. When he is drunk he tends to be loud and overstimulating so you try to spend most of your time away from him which makes him upset until he learns why you are spending time away from him. Medic himself explains to Demo that you have Autism and that they can be overstimulated with certain things and a bunch of things so he learns not to be so loud soooo drunk all the time so it ultimately makes you to decide if you want to hang with him so you do

Heavy: THIS CUDDLE BUG OMGGGGGG- he is devoted to making you feel comfortable and relaxed around him which makes you fall in love with him soooo fast! If anyone makes you upset or uncomfortable, prepare for him to push people’s blood out and break their spines :)

Engineer: This man and his lovely personality make you more comfortable and more open around him. His southern charm and intellect makes you weak at the knees for him. He of course knows you have autism and does sooo much research into it so he can do everything in his power to help you feel more relaxed <3

Medic: HE IS THE MOST RELIABLE ON THE TEAM FOR YOU! Being a doctor he knows more on the topic of Autism and holyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy he is great! Need to rant about anything on your mind? Poof he is there to lend an ear. Need time to decompress? His lab is open to you. Cuddles? A PHAT must!

Sniper: He can be a little confused on all of the little bits of information and symptoms of Autism so he needs a little bit of one on one conversation with you so you can go in depth on what you have. He is more knowledgeable now on what you have and now goes out of his way to make sure you are okay and if you need your space he is willing to give it to you. Overstimulated on certain smells? He also goes out of his way to make his camper clean so you can’t smell the piss or coffee that is super strong to your nose.

Spy: THIS BAGUETTE BOY- he is gonna take some time to learn because he doesn't know anything about Autism or actually any medical disorders that most people should know. Goes to the medic for advice tbh. He will smoke less around you not to hurt you or your health. Overall he loved you for who you are and it’s wonderful

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for the Submission! Working on more of these and I love writing for you guys! 

Honorable Mentions: @bees-n-blogs

[ndthrace]

day 1: 30 days of autism acceptance

April 1st: Introduce yourself. Talk about who you are as a person. Your age, hobbies, special interests, family, etc. Anything you feel comfortable sharing.

First off, I think it's important to disclose that I was diagnosed with autism literally a month ago. It has felt so empowering to step into this identity. (YES, identity. I'm not a fan of the "disorder" label in ASD—it's who I am, not something that's disordered about me. It's just that the world is ordered in such a way that my way of being seems disordered. Big difference. I also honor the fact that "disorder" might be empowering for other autistic folks.)

My autism diagnosis has been empowering because it has explained so much of what I've struggled with all my life—hearing things no one else can hear, squinting in light that doesn't seem to hurt anyone else, losing all of my shit when I've been stuck in loud social situations for too long, feeling so very other and alone when I didn't understand why everyone else seemed to be having fun when I wasn't. It was such a relief to discover that nothing was wrong with me—I'm just wired differently than a lot of people in the world.

I am a 42 year-old woman who works in a helping/spiritual vocation. I am happily married to an NT woman who often serves as my translator and protector in social situations. We often have very different needs—particularly with socializing—and we have learned over the years how to honor those different needs. This often means giving each other space to indulge in activities the other really does not enjoy (like she goes out to loud, crowded restaurants with friends while I stay home alone to watch The Hunger Games movies for the 116th time).

I haven't told my immediate family about my autism, though I suspect that my dad and sibling are both on the spectrum. Looking back, I think I grew up in a pretty autistic household—it was usually quiet, except when we were all enjoying music together, and we all kind of did our own things. I'll probably tell them once I settle more into my own autistic identity.

My special interests include: Christian theology and social justice, f/f fanfic, autism (newly added!), the J.R.R. Tolkien universe (my longest running), the enneagram and other self-awareness tools.

My hobbies include photography, writing Clexa and Raylla fanfic, and devouring sci fi books.

Thanks so much to @autie-j and @lesmiserabby for creating 30 Days of Autism Acceptance!